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PERSON  AND   MINISTRY 


OF  THE 


HOLY  SPIRIT. 


EDITED   BY 


A.    C.    DIXON, 

PASTOR  OF  THE  IMMANFEL  BAPTIST  CHURCH 
BALTIMORE,   MD. 


PUBLISHED   BY 

WHARTON,   BARRON   &    CO., 

10  E.  FAYETTE  ST.,  BALTIMORE,  MD. 


Copyright,  1890,  by 
WHABTON,  BARBON  A  GO. 


Tht  Ju.  B.  Rodgen  Printing  Co., 
MN.  SlitbStf 

Phll*d«lpbl». 


KXFLANATORY. 


YITHILE  the  writer  was  evangelizing  in  Europe, 
he  received  a  letter  from  his  friend,  A.  C. 
Dixon,  of  Baltimore,  requesting  his  help  in  organ- 
izing and  supervising  a  Conference  in  that  city.  On 
my  return  home  Mr.  Dixon  visited  me,  and  together 
we  sketched  the  programme  of  the  subjects,  nomi- 
nated speakers,  and  arranged  concerning  dates  and 
details.  On  Mr.  Dixon's  return  to  Baltimore  he  con- 
sulted with  the  pastors,  who,  with  him,  formed  a 
committee  to  prosecute  the  work  in  the  city.  To 
this  earnest  committee  is  due,  under  God,  the  great 
success  which  crowned  the  Convention. 

The  pleasant  task  of  correspondence  with  speakers 
and  adjustment  of  subjects  fell  to  my  lot,  as  on  other 
similar  occasions.  Many  brethren,  originally  appointed 
to  present  the  subjects,  were  detained  in  various  ways, 
but  others  cheerfully  undertook  the  office  of  teacher. 
The  promise,  "  Them  that  honour  Me  I  will  honour," 
sustained  our  faith,  and  God  permitted  our  ears  to  hear 

marvelous  things  throughout  this  four  days'  meeting. 

iii 


IV  EXPLANATORY. 

The  following  is  the  text  of  the  circular  letter, 
which  explains  itself: 

Bible  Schools,  Christian  Conventions,  and  Theologi- 
cal Conferences  have  been  multiplying  themselves,  of 
late  years,  throughout  this  and  other  lands.  The  result 
has  been  a  revived  interest  in  Bible  Study,  and  a 
more  Scriptural  method  of  preaching  and  teaching 
the  Divine  Word  on  the  part  of  pastors,  evangelists, 
and  other  fellow-laborers. 

Many  of  these  Conferences  and  Conventions  have 
been  of  a  special  character,  notably  those  held  in  New 
York  and  Chicago  for  the  consideration  of  Prophetic 
Themes,  and  that  held  in  Philadelphia  for  the  vindi- 
cation of  Bible  Inspiration. 

It  is  now  thought  best  to  hold  a  Four  Days'  Meet- 
ing in  the  City  of  Baltimore,  where  THE  GLORI- 
OUS PERSON  AND  MANIFOLD  MINISTRY 
OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  shall  form  the  subject 
of  teaching.  The  invitation  comes  from  a  number 
of  Pastors  who  cordially  iuvite  their  fellow-Chris- 
tians of  every  name  to  assemble  with  them  during 
the  four  days  commencing  with  Tuesday,  October  29th. 
Many  of  the  speakers  who  took  part  in  previous 
Conferences,  in  addition  to  well-known  Pastors  and 


EXPLANATORY.  V 

Seminary  Professors,  will  present  carefully  prepared 
addresses  on  this  vital  theme. 

That  there  is  a  tendency  to  practically  ignore  the 
Presence  and  Ministry  of  the  Spirit  in  the  professing 
church  is  painfully  noticeable.  To  warn  against  this 
declension  and  to  recall  believers  to  a  more  practical 
recognition  of  His  presence  and  relations  to  the  church, 
and  the  world,  is  the  object  aimed  at  in  thus  calling 
together  the  disciples  of  our  Lord.  Carnality  in  the 
church  or  in  the  individual  can  only  be  met  and  over- 
come by  an  increase  of,  and  an  intensity  of  the  Holy 
Spirit's  Ministry  in  our  midst. 

The  Conference  will  be  inter-denominational,  and 
an  expression  of  the  vital  union  of  believers  with  one 
another  in  Jesus  Christ. 

Names  of  speakers,  hours  of  sessions,  and  place  of 
meeting  will  be  duly  announced. 

GEO.  C.  NEEDHAM, 
A.  C.  DIXON, 

On  behalf  of  Committee. 
JOHN  F.  PULLEN,  Treasurer, 

12  East  Fayette  Street. 

The  Convention  was  held  in  the  Mt.  Vernon 
Place  M.  E.  Church,  Baltimore,  and  the  attendance 


VI  EXPLANATORY. 

upon  all  the  sessions  was  very  large.     Its  four   days 
were  days  of  heaven  upon  earth. 

At  one  time  no  less  than  one  hundred  ministers 
requested  prayer  for  the  fullness  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Appeals  have  come  from  other  cities  for  like  Confer- 
ences, but  as  yet  we  have  been  too  much  occupied 
with  evangelistic  labors  to  comply  with  the  request. 
We  purpose,  D.  V.,  when  opportunity  offers,  to  mul- 
tiply such  meetings  for  the  consideration  and  elucida- 
tion of  this  great  theme — The  Person  and  Work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

Mr.  Dixon,  in  editing  the  book,  has  thought  it 
best  to  publish  the  addresses  just  as  they  were  fur- 
nished by  the  speakers.  Such  repetitions  as  have 
occurred  are  necessary  to  a  full  understanding  of  the 
subject  in  hand.  They  are  now  sent  forth  in  the 
present  form  with  much  prayer  that  the  gift  of  power 
through  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  may  rest  upon 
every  reader. 


GEO.  C.  NEEDHAM. 


ELIM  COTTAGE, 
MANX-HESTEB-BY-THE-SEA,  MASS. 


CONTKNTS. 


PAGE 

I.    INTRODUCTION i 

By  A.  C.  Dixon. 

II.    ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME 9 

By  Bishop  A.  W.  Wilson. 

III.  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST  .     12 

By.Rev.  George  S.  Bishop,  D.D. 

IV.  THE  ENDUEMENT   OF  THE  SPIRIT 37 

By  Rev.  Julius  E.  Grammar,  D.D. 

V.    THE  SPIRIT'S   THREEFOLD  CONVICTION    ....     48 

By  Rev.  George  Dana  Boardman,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

VI.    ADDRESS  BY  REV.  M.  D.  BABCOCK 66 

VII.    THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP 70 

By  Rev.  W.  J.  Erdman. 

VIII.    THE  HEAVENLY  UNCTION 77 

By  Rev.  L.  W.  Munhall,  D.D. 

IX.    GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT   .     86 

By  Rev.  James  Morrow,  D.D. 

X.    THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING  .  .    102 

By  Rev.  D.  M.  Stearns. 

XI.    THE  SPIRIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD  .    117 

By  Rev  W.  J.  Erdman. 

XII.    THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN   ....    124 

By  Rev.  F.  M.  Ellis,  D.D. 

XIII.    THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY 150 

By  Bishop  W.  R.  Nicholson,  D.D. 

vii 


THE 

PERSON    AND    MINISTRY 


OF   THE 


HOLY    SPIEIT. 


I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

BY  A-   C.    DIXON. 

THE  Spirit  of  God  came  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  as 
the  rushing  mighty  wind  and  the  tongues  of 
flame ;  and  from  that  day  to  this  he  has  been  with  his 
people.  We  sometimes  pray  that  he  may  be  poured 
out  upon  us ;  let  us  rather  strive  to  realize  that  he  is 
already  with  us,  and  what  we  need  is  to  appropriate 
this  ever  present  power.  He  is  not  weaker  to-day,  and 
stronger  to-morrow,  but  "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day 
and  forever."  Omnipotence  dwelling  with  his  people, 
ready  to  work  through  them.  The  practical  question, 
then,  is,  How  can  this  ever  present  personal  power  be 
appropriated  ?  Through  a  threefold  channel. 

1 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

1.  We  read  in  Hebrews  11,  the  muster-roll  of  God's 
mighty  ones.     The  secret  of  their  power  was  FAITH. 
"According  to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you,"  is  a  law 
never  to   be  changed.     Faith    is   the   connecting   wire 
between   the   battery   of  God's  power   and  the  hearts 
of  men.     We  look   at   the  swift  current  of  Niagara 
Falls  and  strive    to   imagine   what  a   force   it   would 
be,  if  utilized  in  manufacture  or  in   generating  elec- 
tricity.    God's    power   is    like    the    Niagara    current, 
always  the  same,  to  be  turned  for  the  accomplishment 
of  his   purpose   by   the   channels   of  Christian    faith. 
When  New  York  harbor  was  to  be  deepened,  a  mine  of 
dynamite  was  placed  beneath  it ;  the  engineer  took  his 
little  daughter,  and  told   her  to  place  her  finger  upon 
the  knob,  and  by  the  weight  of  her  hand  the  electric 
current  was  made  to  flash  under  the  channel  and  shake 
al]  New  York  by  the  explosion.     The  engineer  might 
have  touched  that  knob  himself;  but  it  was  his  wish 
that  his  child  should  do  it.     God  could  do  without  our 
help,  but  it  is  his  desire  and  plan  that  his  people  by  the 
touch  of  faith  should  let  loose  his  omnipotence. 

2.  But  hand  in  hand  with  faith  must  go  the  WORD. 
The  Spirit  uses  his  own  sword,  the  "Word  of  God;" 
and  when  we  substitute  our  words  for  his,  we  substitute 
weakness  for  strength.     "  Where  the  word  of  a  king  is, 
there  is  power."     Eccl.  8:4.     "  The  voice  of  the  Lord 
is  powerful."     Ps.  29 :  4.     We  are  as  Aaron,  taking 
the  words  of  God  and  delivering  them  to  the  people. 
Our  words  may  be  like  the  sheet  lightning,  beautiful 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

and  grand,  but  sheet  lightning  never  strikes  anything. 
God's  Word  is  the  forked  flash  that  strikes  down  the 
towers  of  sin.  Our  words  are,  at  the  best,  only  uncon- 
fined  steam,  making  fog  and  confusion ;  God's  Word  is 
the  steam  within  the  cylinder  that  drives  the  piston 
and  carries  forward  his  work. 

"A  brilliant  operation  that  is,"  said  a  French  phy- 
sician ;  "  I  have  performed  it  many  a  time."  "  How 
many  patients  lived?"  asked  an  inquirer.  "Oh,  they 
all  died,"  replied  the  boastful  physician  ;  "  but  the  op- 
eration was  very  brilliant."  We  perform  brilliant  ora- 
torical operations,  giving  our  words  which  kill  to  the 
people,  when  we  ought  to  be  giving  God's  Word,  which 
imparts  life.  "  Get  thee  unto  the  house  of  Israel/' 
said  the  Lord  to  Ezekiel,  "  and  speak  ye  my  words  un- 
to them."  He  obeyed,  and  Israel  trembled.  Let  us 
heed  the  same  command,  and  the  people  will  be  moved. 

3.  There  must  also  be  character.  "  The  eyes  of  the 
Lord  run  to  and  fro  throughout  the  whole  earth,  to 
show  himself  strong  in  the  behalf  of  them  whose  heart 
is  perfect  toward  him."  2  Chron.  16  :  9.  Care  little 
for  reputation,  what  men  may  think  of  us ;  care  every- 
thing for  character,  what  God  thinks  of  us.  He  is 
looking  for  the  man  whose  heart  is  perfect  TOWARD 
HIM.  Peter's  reputation  was  not  the  best.  He  was  as- 
sociated in  the  minds  of  the  people  with  that  denial 
and  cursing  at  the  trial  of  his  Master ;  but  Peter's  char- 
acter was  all  right ;  he  had  wept  in  penitence  and  re- 
pented of  his  sin.  The  relation  between  him  and  God 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

was  such  that  He  filled  him  with  his  Spirit  and  used 
him  powerfully. 

HINDRANCES. 

1.  Sin. — "If  I    regard   iniquity   in   my  heart,  the 
Lord  will  not  hear  me."     Ps.  66  :  18. 

2.  Satisfaction. — We  are  weak,  because  contented  to 
be  weak.     The  old  man,  who,  after  twenty  years  of  la- 
bor, thanked  God  that  one  soul  had  been  saved  through 
his  work,  was  somewhat  to   blame.     "Woe  to   them 
that  are  at  ease  in   Zion ! "     The   Lord   Almighty  is 
present,  ready  to  work  through  our  faith,  his  Word  and 
a  good  character ;  and  if  he  does  not  work  powerfully, 
it  is  our  fault. 

3.  Unbelief. — Can  Omnipotence  be    resisted?     Not 
by  any  combination  of  wicked  men  or  demons.     But 
one  thing  can  limit  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.     Doubt  is 
the  water  which  quenches  the  fire  of  the  Spirit — is  the 
glass   which    intercepts    the    current    of    his    power. 
Jesus,  who  had  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  walked 
upon  the  water,  fed  the  five  thousand  and  raised  the 
dead,  stood  helpless,  the  hands  of  his  power  shackled 
by  the  unbelief  of  those  about  him.     "  Why  could  not 
we  cast  him  out?"  asked  the  disciples.     "Because  of 
your   unbelief,"   said   the    Saviour;    not    because   my 
power  is  absent,  but  because  the  channel  through  which 
that  power  flows  has  been  clogged. 

4.  Ignorance. — "  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  Scrip- 
tures, nor  the  power  of  God,"     Matt.  22  :  29  ;  and  we 
are  the  Sadducees  of  to-day  in  that  respect.     We  are 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

not  powerful,  because  we  have  not  in  mind  and  heart 
the  Word,  with  which  the  Spirit  works.  We  need, 
however,  more  than  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  we  need 
to  have  God's  message.  By  the  close  study  of  the 
Scriptures,  let  us  learn  God's  truth  ;  by  looking  to  him 
in  prayer  for  guidance,  let  us  seek  the  appropriate 
truth ;  and  the  man  who  comes  before  a  congregation, 
not  simply  with  the  strength  of  truth,  but,  what  is 
more,  with  the  conviction  that  he  is  proclaiming  God's 
message,  is  truly  powerful. 

5.  Pride  and   Vanity. — We  are  PROUD  of  what  we 
have — we  are  VAIN  of  what  we  think  we  have,  but 
are  mistaken.     We  may  have  learning,  a  commanding 
presence,  a  logical  mind,  good  voice,  popularity  and  be 
proud  of  it ;  and  that  pride  is  our  weakness.     But  we 
should  specially  guard  against  spiritual   vanity.     The 
fact  that  God  has  used  us  in  doing  something  may  not 
be  so  complimentary  after  all,  for  he  can  use  a  worm  to 
thresh   a  mountain.     He   takes  "  the  weak   things  to 
confound  the  mighty,  and  the  things  that  are  not  to 
bring  to  naught  the  things  that  are,"     1  Cor.  1:27;  and, 
if  through  you  he  has  threshed  a  mountain,  it  is  only 
proof  that  you  may  be  a  worm.     The  tendency  in  us 
to  crave  the  praise  of  men  should  be  watched.     "  How 
can  ye  believe,"  said  Christ,  "  who  receive  honor  one  of 
another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  which  cometh  from 
God  only  ?"     John  5  :  44. 

6.  False  Expectations. — We  expect  to  feel  strong; 
we  desire  a  consciousness  of  God's  presence ;  we  wish  to 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

shake  ourselves  Samson-like,  and  realize  that  there  is 
might  in  our  sermons,  in  our  manner,  in  our  words. 
We  forget  that  he  "  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and  to 
them  that  have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength ; "  that 
God's  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness ;  "  When  I 
am  weak,  then  I  am  strong."  The  Spirit's  work  is  not 
to  show  himself  to  us.  "  He  shall  not  speak  of  himself, 
but  will  take  the  things  of  mine  and  show  them  unto 
you."  His  office  is  to  lift  up  a  crucified  Christ.  He 
teaches  us  the  lesson  of  hiding  self  behind  the  cross. 
Now,  if  it  was  his  plan  to  show  himself,  we  should  al- 
ways feel  his  presence ;  but  as  he  works  invisibly,  we 
must  simply  rest  on  the  promise  of  God,  and  whatever 
be  our  "liberty"  or  "unction"  expect  him  to  be 
present. 

We  mistake  when  we  expect  that  one  blessing  will  in- 
sure another.  The  disciples  were  filled  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost  for  that  special  work  ;  for  another  work  a  few 
days  afterward  they  were  filled  again  ;  and  for  every 
work  there  must  be  a  new  infilling  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Our  work  is  never  run  by  momentum.  We  are  apt 
to  think  that,  if  we  give  a  church  or  an  enterprise  a 
good  send-off,  it  will  certainly  continue.  The  power 
that  started  it  must  be  applied  every  day  and  hour. 

HOW  TO  GAIN  THIS  POWER. 

By  God's  help  let  us  remove  the  obstacles  just  men- 
tioned. Are  we  living  in  sin  ?  Turn  from  it.  Are  we 
satisfied  with  weakness  ?  Beg  God  for  dissatisfaction. 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

Have  we  unbelief?  "Have  faith  in  God."  Are  we 
full  of  pride  or  vanity  ?  Seek  God's  message,  and  ask 
him  to  humble  us  under  his  mighty  hand.  Have  we 
false  expectations  ?  Let  us  expect  the  power  from  the 
right  source,  and  yield  our  wills  and  plans  to  God. 
But  above  all 

LET   US   WAIT   UPON   GOD   IN   PRAYER. 

In  the  rush  of  a  busy  life  we  are  tempted  to  dispense 
with  times  of  secret  devotion.  "They  that  wait  upon 
the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength  ;  they  shall  mount 
up  on  wings  as  eagles."  Is.  40:  31.  Our  power  is  in 
proportion  to  our  inner  isolation  from  the  world.  Put 
a  man  on  a  glass  stool,  and  you  can  fill  him  with  elec- 
tricity until  the  sparks  will  fly  from  all  parts  of  his 
body.  Place  him  on  the  earth,  and  the  current  passes 
off.  The  current  of  God's  power  does  not  fill  us,  be- 
cause we  are  too  close  to  the  earth — its  vanities,  its 
pleasures,  its  ambitions.  Some  one  may  call  you  in 
modern  slang  "a  religious  crank."  Be  willing  to 
seem  a  crank.  I  saw  that  the  steamboat  in  the  storm 
the  other  night  was  moved  against  wind  and  wave  by 
turning  of  a  crank.  A  crank  with  an  engine  a  hold  of 
it  can  move  things.  Some  people  are  so  smooth,  and 
straight,  and  prim,  that  it  seems  God  cannot  get  hold  of 
them.  The  Lord  send  us  men  who  are  willing  to  be 
peculiar  and  distinct — to  be  "  cranks,"  indeed,  so  that 
he  may  powerfully  wield  them  for  his  glory. 

"  Tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  until  ye  be  en- 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

dued  with  power  from  on  high."  Luke  24 :  49.  Let 
us  cease  to  tarry,  waiting  for  the  coming  of  the  Spirit. 
He  is  here.  But  tarry  much  with  him  in  communion. 

A  man  to  be  strong  must  eat  and  breathe.  Study 
and  digest  the  Word.  Inhale  freely  this  heavenly  at- 
mosphere and  you  will  become  mighty.  We  have 
heard  of  the  traveler  rubbing  the  frozen  comrade  amid 
the  snows  of  Switzerland  until  his  own  blood  began  to 
circulate,  and  we  tell  cold  Christians  to  go  out  and  try 
to  save  somebody  else ;  thus  they  will  get  warmed  up. 
That  may  be  true ;  but  the  great  heart  of  Jesus  is  a 
furnace  heat  that  can  warm  us  and  fit  us  for  activity ; 
keep  close  to  it  in  prayer  and  the  study  of  his  Word,  aud 
you  will  go  forth  "  endued  with  power  from  on  high." 


II. 

ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME. 

BY  BISHOP  A.  W.   WII<SON. 

A  MORE  grave  and  momentous  theme  for  considera- 
tion could  not  be  presented  than  is  contained  in 
the  subject  of  this  Conference.  In  the  later  days  of  his 
incarnate  life,  when  it  was  more  than  ever  needful  that 
his  disciples  should  be  provided  against  possible  defect 
and  failure  in  the  ministry  committed  to  them,  our  Lord 
kept  in  their  thought  and  fixed  their  hope  upon  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  promise  of  which  he  had  received  from 
the  Father.  He  would  take  of  the  things  of  Christ  and 
show  them  to  them.  He  was  to  be  the  teacher  and 
guide  into  all  truth,  and  bring  to  their  remembrance 
all  things  that  the  Lord  had  said.  When  they  should 
stand  before  the  rulers  of  this  world  he  would  teach 
them  what  they  should  say.  They  should  receive  power 
after  that  the  Holy  Spirit  should  come  upon  them. 

When  the  Lord's  bodily  presence  was  taken  from 
them  they  waited  until  "  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost"  before  entering  upon  their  ministry,  and 
at  the  Spirit's  dictation ,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  they 
spake  in  the  manifold  tongues  of  earth  the  wonderful 
works  of  God. 

9 


10  ADDRESS   OF   WELCOME. 

From  that  hour  they  thought  only  of  the  guidance  of 
the  Spirit,  and  gave  implicit  obedience  to  his  command ; 
and  each  decisive  movement  of  the  church  was  made 
under  the  impulse  and  at  the  word  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Witness  the  consecration  of  the  church's  property,  when 
Levi  in  person  of  Joses,  a  Levite,  gave  not  the  tithe,  but 
the  whole,  to  the  service  of  Christ,  and  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  were  smitten  to  death  for  having  "  lied  unto 
the  Holy  Ghost ; "  the  ministry  of  Philip  to  the  eunuch 
of  Ethiopia,  of  Peter  to  Cornelius  ;  and  the  separation 
of  Saul  and  Barnabas  for  the  missionary  work  to  which 
the  Spirit  called  them.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  are 
but  the  acts  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Looking  at  the  large  place  filled  by  the  Spirit  and  the 
emphasis  laid  upon  his  work,  in  the  utterances  of  our 
Lord,  and  in  the  early  history  of  the  church,  it  is  some- 
what surprising  that  so  little  stress  is  laid  upon  his  min- 
istry in  these  last  days.  May  not  much  of  our  weak- 
ness and  many  of  our  failures  be  attributed  to  our  in- 
genious efforts  to  find  substitutes  for  his  personal 
agency  ? 

We  are  warned  in  the  terms  of  the  notice  of  this  Con- 
ference of  the  dangers  to  which  the  church  of  God  is 
exposed  by  neglect  of  the  person  and  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  are  invited  to  a  prayerful  discussion  of  the 
third  person  of  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  meditation  upon 
his  functions  in  relation  to  the  church,  the  individual  be- 
liever and  the  world.  It  is  intended  to  be,  not  merely 
a  theological  or  speculative  discussion,  but  practical,  mak- 


ADDRESS   OF   WELCOME.  11 

ing  prominent  the  experience  of  the  Spirit's  work  in  all 
aspects  of  it.  It  ought  to  be  a  Conference  very  bounti- 
ful in  results  in  individual  religious  life  and  in  the  work 
of  the  churches.  To  these  ends  let  us  give  our  earnest 
attention  and  direct  our  prayers. 


III. 

THE   HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

BY  GEORGE  S.   BISHOP,   D.D. 

WE  are  living  in  the  Dispensation  of  the  Spirit. 
What  does  that  mean  ? 

It  means  that  we  are  living  on  a  higher  plane  than 
ever  has  been  occupied  before.  We  gather  this — 

1.  From  a  comparison  of  this  Dispensation  with 
others  that  have  preceded  it. 

True  religion  is  more  widely  disseminated  in  this 
than  it  has  been  in  any  preceding  Dispensation. 
Not  only  so,  but  more  people,  in  proportion  to  the  mass 
of  professors  of  religion  are  truly  spiritual,  and  spiritu- 
ality in  these  has  risen  to  a  higher  point  than  ever  be- 
fore— that  is,  it  has  been  more  intelligent,  consistent, 
ardent,  aggressive  and  victorious.  We  know,  for  in- 
stance, that  proportionally  there  are  more  Christians 
now  in  the  world  than  there  were  in  the  time  of  the 
Judges — that  they  will  average  better,  and  that  they 
have  a  more  forceful  influence  than  had  the  early  He- 
brew tribes.  We  know,  too,  that  the  same  fact  bears 
out  in  a  comparison  of  later  results  with  those  of  our 
Saviour's  personal  ministry.  We  know  that  he  has 
more  followers  now  than  he  had  when  he  was  on 
12 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      13 

earth — that  intelligence  has  reached  a  higher  point  than 
it  did,  even  under  his  teaching,  and  that  Christian  ef- 
fort has  been  followed  by  more  surprising  and  more 
permanent  effects. 

2.  We  know  that  this  Dispensation  is  an  advance,  be- 
cause  Grod   himself  is   advance — progress.     He    never 
goes   backward.     God   known   as   Diety,  comes  to  be 
known  as  Deity  in  human  flesh,  and  then  this  Deity, 
so  brought  near  to  us — seen,  touched  and  handled — is 
known  again,  "  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 

3.  The  same  fact  is  clear  from  the  structure  of  Scrip- 
ture.    The  Old  Testament  is  the  Lock — Christ  is  the 
Key  to  the  lock — then  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Hand  on 
the  key,  without  which  the  mystery  of  godliness  had 
never     been     opened.      Christ    is    the     Revealer    of 
God,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Revealer  of  Christ. 
"No  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  Jehovah,  but  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."     These  things  go  to  make  evident  that 
we  are  living  on  a  higher  plane  of  light,  responsibility, 
motive  and  action — i.e.,  <k  in  a  most  signal  sense," — in 
the  realm  of  the  Spirit,  and 

4.  The  whole  historic  development  of  man — looked  at 
in  the  line  of  the  plan  of  redemption  is  clearly  enough 
in  this  upward  direction.     The  work  of  God  is  from 
matter  toward  spirit.     The  child  leaves  his  playthings 
behind,  and  comes  to  despise  them.     The  college  stu- 
dent turns  his  back  on  the  pleasures  and  games  of  his 
boyhood.     The   professional    man    has    forgotten   the 
rivalries  of  college  life — as  narrow  as  its  walls ;  and  the 


14      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

mellowed  and  matured  philosopher  "lives  already 
amid  the  peace  and  the  power  of  invisible  scenes,"  and 
draws  from  above  and  beyond  him  the  springs  of  in- 
centive and  action.  The  same  principle  holds  through- 
out nature.  Time  and  again  our  attention  is  drawn  to 
the  fact  that  there  is  an  invisible  world,  and  that  that 
invisible  world  bears  down  upon  and  overpowers  the 
visible.  That  Thought  and  Feeling  and  Volition  are 
stronger  than  Substance  and  Quality  and  Force,  and 
that  from  within  what  is  unseen  and  supersensible  and 
supernatural  flow  the  "  upper  springs "  of  all  inferior 
energy  and  action.  That  though  principles,  like  Faith 
and  Hope,  and  Love  and  Righteousness,  like  Mind  and 
Heart  and  Will,  are  imperceptible,  intangible  and 
"  hid  within  the  Veil,"  yet  not  the  smallest  work  of 
the  obscurest  worker  nor  the  grandest  enterprise  of  the 
most  powerful  syndicate  or  Caesar,  but  is  the  effect  of 
their  impetus.  And  so  powerfully  does  this  conviction 
rule  mankind  that  not  an  individual  but  at  times,  and 
in  moral  crises,  runs  back  of  all  second  causes  and  stands 
subdued  and  solemnized  before  such  facts  as  Conscience 
— Force  of  Will — an  overruling  Providence — Remorse 
— and  the  straight  plummet-line  that  falls  before  the 
Unseen  Holiest  of  all — Eternal  Righteousness.  All 
which  points  upward  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  emphasizes 
it  that  we  are  living  in  the  Dispensation  of  the  Spirit, 
and  that  we  are  moved,  most  of  all,  by  powers  above  us, 
not  only,  but  as  never  before,  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
and  that  we  must  look  to  be  led  by  the  light,  and  vital- 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      15 

ized  for  the  great  work  of  God  by  the  GRACE  of  the 
Spirit — that — in  fine —  "  like  holy  John  of  Patmos, 
we  are  to  BE  " — in  this  Day  of  the  Lord — in  the  Spirit. 

5.  But  we  are  not  left  to  gather  up  an  inference  from 
observation,  nor  speculation,  nor  from  logic.  "  Our 
Saviour  Himself  now  assures  us,  that  if  we  believe  in 
him  we  shall  do  greater  works  than  even  those  which 
HE  performed  on  earth,  and  that  we  shall  do  them  pre- 
cisely because  he  goes  to  the  Father." 

This  he  explains  by  saying  that  it  is  expedient  for 
us  that  he  should  go  away,  for  unless  he  does  go 
away  the  Comforter  will  not  come ;  but  if  he  shall  go 
he  will  send  him. 

"And  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  Truth  is  come,  he 
will  convince  the  world  of  sin.  He  will  guide  you — the 
Church — into  all  truth.  He  shall  glorify  Me,  i.e.,  make 
Me  to  you — through  you,  Glorious.  The  Holy  Ghost 
will  fill  the  world — through  the  Church — with  a  reve- 
lation of  God,  in  My  Person,  such  as  never  has  been 
seen  nor  known  before." 

That  focalizes  our  attention  on  three  points. 

I.  The  one  essential  to  salvation  is  the  Revelation  of 
Christ.     "  He  shall  glorify  ME  !  " 

II.  The  Holy  Ghost  alone  can  reveal  him.     "  HE 
shall  glorify  Me." 

III.  The  ulterior  and  special  Object  of  the  Spirit's 
revelation  is  God's  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 
"  He  shall  GLORIFY — make  Me  glorious  ! " 


16      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

I.  The  one  essential  to  salvation  is  the  revelation  of 
Christ. 

How  essential  this  is  may  be  gathered  from  Reason, 
from  Conscience  and  from  the  light  of  the  Scriptures. 

From  Reason.  Nowhere,  outside  the  radius  of 
Christianity,  is  there  either-  holiness  or  peace.  Look  at 
Africa.  Look  at  China.  Look  at  Hindostan.  My 
dear  friend,  Bishop  Fowler,  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  who  has  been  traveling,  as  some  of  you 
know,  of  late  in  those  countries,  gave  me  a  description 
impossible  here  to  repeat,  it  was  so  terribly  revolting. 
Even  then,  he  said  he  had  not  touched  the  bottom  facts. 

He  who  knows  anything  of  the  history  of  moral 
light  knows  that  it  has  followed,  as  its  centre,  the 
planting  of  the  cross  of  Christ — that  just  as  races  have 
receded  from  the  light  of  God  in  the  face  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  so  they  have  sunken  to  a  brutish  level, 
and  have  died  in  the  distractions  of  an  utter  unrest. 

But  not  only  Reason,  Conscience  affirms  the  same 
truth.  Conscience,  in  every  man,  says :  "  You  are 
guilty  !  You  are  a  sinner  !  You  are  condemned  ! 
God  is  holy.  He  cannot  acquit.  He  must  punish  !  " 

Conscience,  whatever  modern  thought  may  say — how- 
ever it  may  strive  to  cheat  us — cries,  "  Eternal  Justice  is 
Eternal  Fact,  and  God  is  just ;  and  How  can  justice 
clear  the  guilty  ?  "  and  to  this  cry  of  conscience  is  no 
answer  but  in  Christ  and  in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ. 

And  these  deductions  of  our  reason  and  pur  Con- 
science are  confirmed  by  Scripture. 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.       17 

The  first  thing  that  confronts  us  in  the  Bible,  after 
the  record  of  Creation,  is  a  guilty  man,  and  the  whole 
Book  goes  on  to  deal  with  guilt,  not  as  an  accident,  but 
as  the  one  great  fact  on  which  are  based  all  other  facts 
of  the  remedial  system. 

If  there  is  nothing  to  be  saved  from — if  there  are  no 
parties  to  be  reconciled — if,  without  reconciliation,  there 
can  be  pardon,  and  peace,  and  comfort,  and  heaven,  then 
what  is  our  business  as  ambassadors  for  Christ  and 
what  is  the  Gospel  ? 

The  Gospel  is  an  overture  to  the  LOST — then  men 
are  lost.  The  Gospel  is  good  tidings  of  SALVATION  ; 
then  there  is  a  way  of  Salvation.  The  Gospel  is  the 
presentation  of  a  Saviour ;  then,  without  that  Saviour, 
men — no  matter  who  they  may  be — perish. 

So,  the  Bible  not  only  represents  it,  but  it  says  so.  [The 
first  main  characteristic  of  the  Gospel  is  that  it  affirms. 

Every  thing  else  questions.  Speculation  questions. 
Superstition  questions.  Higher  Criticism — the  men 
who  write  such  books  as  "  Whither  "  put  them  always 
in  the  form  of  a  question.  Infidelity  is  an  interrogation 
point.  The  adversaries  of  the  cross  of  Christ  assert 
nothing,  but  they  question  everything.  They  will  not 
lay  down  a  proposition  nor  define  their  opinions.  They 
clare  not,  for  they  know  that  the  square,  blunt  blow  of 
unsophisticated  truth  will  at  once  demolish  their  light 
and  fantastic  fabrics  of  falsehood ;  therefore  they  skir- 
mish, and  cavil,  and  dodge,  and  suggest,  and  propose 
"  certain  questions." 
2 


18      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

Now  the  Bible  affirms.  On  this  point  does  the  Bible 
affirm  ?  It  does.  It  comes  straight  out  and  says : 
Apart  from  the  knowledge  of  Christ  there  is  no  Salvation. 

"  We  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wick- 
edness." "  Without  the  shedding  of  Blood  there  is  no 
remission  ! "  "  Neither  is  there  Salvation  in  any  other, 
for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven,  given  among 
men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  Thus  is  our  first 
point  established — the  one  essential  to  Salvation  is  the 
revelation  of  Christ. 

II.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  only  revealer  of  Christ. 
He  alone  makes  Christ  glorious. 

The  Holy  Ghost  has  given  us  all  the  knowledge  that 
we  have  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Where  do  we  get  that  knowledge  ?  How  do  we 
know  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  Saviour  ?  From 
the  Bible.  Outside  the  covers  of  this  book  there  is  not 
a  hint  of  a  Christ.  And  whence  came  the  Bible  ?  It 
was  inspired.  Who  inspired  it  ?  God,  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Not  only  so  but,  with  the  Bible  in  our  hands,  how 
can  we  know  anything  of  Christ,  save  as  the  Spirit  re- 
veals him  ? 

"The  letter  killeth,"  says  the  Apostle.  It  is  so.  The 
letter  killed  in  the  Old  Testament.  Of  what  avail  were 
miracles  ?  Were  all  theophanies  ?  Visions  of  angels  ? 
All  shocks  on  the  senses  ? 

Of  none  whatever.  Miracle  never  changed  any  man. 
Appearances — like  that  of  the  Angels  to  Abraham — like 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      19 

that  of  the  Burning  Bush,  or  the  wheels  of  Ezekiel,  or 
the  Fire  that  came  down  on  Elijah's  altar  at  Carrael, 
never  changed  any  man,  except  as  with  them,  went  a 
supernatural  light  and  voice. 

Abraham  saw  Christ's  day.  How  did  he  see  it  ?  By 
illumination — by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Moses  recognized 
God  at  Horeb.  How?  By  the  fire?  No,  but  by 
God  speaking  out  of  the  midst  of  the  bush.  Ezekiel 
was  transformed  at  Chebar.  How  ?  By  the  wheels  ? 
No,  but  "  the  Spirit,"  he  says,  "  entered  in  me."  Israel 
was  to  be  revived  under  Elijah.  How?  By  the  wind? 
By  the  earthquake  ?  By  the  fire  ?  By  any  sensible 
and  ocular  demonstration  ?  No ;  but  by  the  still  small 
voice.  That  was  the  lesson  taught  to  the  prophet. 

The  same  fact  comes  out  in  the  New  Testament.  How 
many  saw  Christ — touched  Christ — said  they  believed 
on  Christ  in  the  flesh,  who  never  went  beyond  impres- 
sions of  their  outward  senses.  We  are  often  tempted  to 
think  that  if  we  could  have  lived  when  Christ  lived  we 
should  have  found  it  easier  to  be  Christians.  It  is  a 
mistake.  What  makes  a  Christian  is  the  Spiritual  ap- 
prehension of  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  alone  can  re- 
veal him. 

He  alone  did  it  in  the  Old  Testament.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament is  full  of  Christ — as  full  as  the  New  is.  See  how, 
in  preaching  Christ  the  apostles  quote  the  Old  Testament. 

Luther  used  to  say  he  could  tell  whether  the  Church 
was  gaining  or  losing  life-power  by  the  study  or  neglect 
of  the  Hebrew.  Why  did  he  say  it?  Because  the 


20     THE  HOLY  CHRIST  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

study  of  Hebrew  means  the  Old  Testament,  and  because 
the  Old  Testament  is  the  casket  which  contains  Christ. 
The  New  Testament  is  the  key  to  the  Old,  but  when  we 
have  a  key,  we  do  not  turn  our  backs  upon  the  lock,  and 
laugh  away  the  lock — we  open  it. 

The  Old  Testament  is  full  of  Chrut.  Take  the  22d 
Psalm,  where  he  cries,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  ? "  Take  Isaiah  53 :  "  He  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities."  Take  the  Levitical  Sacrifices — -'How  with- 
out these  could  we  explain  the  Atonement  ? 

Yet  only  a  few  who  read  them  under  the  Old  Dis- 
pensation, saw  Christ  in  these  Scriptures  and  why  ? 
Because  they  needed  more  than  the  most  perfect  de- 
scription. They  needed  light  on  the  light.  They 
needed,  like  David,  to  have  their  eyes  opened  to  see 
wondrous  things  out  of  God's  law. 

They  needed,  like  Simeon  and  Anna,  in  the  temple, 
to  have  something  more  than  had  other  spectators. 
Something  more  than  the  mere  presentation  of  Christ. 
Something  which  should  make  them  take  him  in  their 
arms  and  exclaim,  "  Mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salva- 
tion!" 

The  same  thing  is  true  of  the  New  Testament.  It  is, 
ot  course,  full  of  Christ  and  nothing  but  Christ  and  yet, 
in  the  gospels,  when  Christ  himself  was  living  and 
walking  among  them,  we  may  say  of  most,  as  it  Is 
said  of  the  disciples,  who  were  journeying  to  Emmaus, 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.       21 

"  Their   eyes  were   holden  that   they  should  not   know 
him." 

St.  Peter  in  Matt.  16 :  23  responds  in  answer  to  the 
question  of  Jesus,  "Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God."  But  how  does  he  say  it  ?  He  says  it, 
not  in  his  senses,  but  like  a  man  transfigured,  by  a  fire 
that  burns  in  him  and  out  of  him  in  a  new  flash  of  fact 
as  well  as  expression — "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar- 
Jona,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto 
thee ;  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

Thomas,  in  John  20 :  28,  cries  out  in  a  rapture,  "  My 
Lord  and  my  God  ! "  He  sees  and  he  adores  the  Deity 
of  Christ.  From  the  most  incredulous  of  the  eleven 
he  comes  to  be  their  leader,  and  by  appropriating  faith 
to  confess  and  to  claim  the  Lord  Jesus  as  God. 

He  does  this  without  ever  putting  Christ  to  the  test 
that  he  had  laid  down  for  himself.  He  does  it  unex- 
pectedly, suddenly. 

How  often  do  we  lay  down  tests  anticipating  how  the 
Lord  shall  come  to  us.  He  must  come  this  way  or 
that  way,  by  a  convulsion,  by  a  vision,  by  some  recog- 
nized demonstration  or  else  we  must  refuse  credence. 
"  Except  I  shall  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the 
nails  and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not  be- 
lieve." 

If  you  will  look  back  at  the  chapter,  you  will  find  it 
a  blank  as  to  any  handling  of  Jesus,  such  as  Thomas 
proposed.  Instead  of  this,  is  a  silence — a  check.  The 
GODHEAD  COMES  IN — a  more  than  human  majesty 


22      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

clothed — a  more  than  human  glory  enhaloed  the  mys- 
terious Person  who  thus  unexpectedly  revealed  himself 
to  Thomas  and  repeated,  as  out  of  eternity  to  him,  the 
very  thoughts  of  his  heart. 

Thomas  saw  a  man  before  him  with  a  great  wound 
gaping  in  his  side,  more  than  enough  to  have  caused 
any  death.  He  saw  that  wound  bleeding,  yet  the  man 
living  and  speaking— speaking  his  own  words  which 
none  could  have  known  beside  an  omnipresent,  invisible 
Listener,  and  Thomas  cried  instinctively,  "  My  Lord 
and  my  God  ! "  How  did  he  do  it  ?  By  illumination. 
Because  the  Spirit  taught  him  to  cry.  Because,  all  at 
once,  in  Christ's  light,  he  saw  light. 

The  Holy  Ghost  reveals  Christ.  He  glorifies  Christ. 
Notice.  He  does  not  create  Christ ;  he  shows  him. 

Christ  is  all  the  while  there.  A  person  is  in  a  dark 
room.  You  cannot  see  the  person ;  you  do  not  know 
he  is  there.  Then  some  one  brings  in  a  candle  and  you 
see  the  person  revealed — touched  with  all  the  radiance 
of  the  candle,  brighter  in  outline,  more  distinct  and 
glorious  in  feature  for  the  very  darkness  against  which 
he  stands. 

When  we  were  sailing  in  the  Grecian  Archipelago 
we  came,  at  dawn  of  day,  to  the  Island  of  Rhodes.  At 
first  we  saw  only  a  grey  indistinctness — the  shapeless 
outline  of  vast  rocks  rising  out  of  the  water.  Then  as 
the  sun  came  up,  how  glorious  !  There  lay  the  harbor 
once  bestridden  by  the  famous  Colossus,  the  sapphire 
ripplings  of  the  water  touched  with  rose  and  gold — the 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      23 

ships,  the  flappings  of  their  sails  stirred  lightly  by  the 
morning  breeze.  There  stretched  away  the  green  fields 
and  the  mountains  round  which  poetry  had  thrown  her 
charm  ;  midway  in  the  perspective  rose  the  ancient  cas- 
tellated ramparts  of  the  fortress  of  the  Knights  of  St. 
John,  all  flashing,  glowing,  burning,  touched  and 
"  transfigured  by  the  ministry  of  light."  "  That  which 
doth  make  manifest  is  light."  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the 
only  revealer  of  Jesus. 

And  the  Holy  Ghost  glorifies  Christ  or  reveals  him 
in  his  true  glory  now,  as  he  could  not  possibly  do  were 
Christ  present. 

One  thing :  it  was  necessary  that  Christ  should  go 
away  in  order  that  the  power  of  a  natural,  carnal, 
earthly  influence  might  be  broken. 

The  apostles  loved  Christ  too  much,  as  the  carnal 
loves  the  carnal.  They  limited  his  power  as  Martha  did 
when  she'said :  "  If  Thou — meaning  his  bodily  presence 
— hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not  died." 

That  is  the  error  of  Rome  with  her  crucifixes,  her 
Mass  and  her  sensuous  ecstacies.  Read  the  memoirs  of 
Santa  Teresa  and  of  St.  John  of  the  Cross,  and  you  will 
find  the  love  they  express  for  the  Saviour  is  sensuous — 
carnal.  There  is  something  lurid  about  it.  You  are 
afraid  of  it. 

It  was  necessary  that  that  sort  of  thing  should  be 
broken — that  there  should  come  an  experience,  which, 
permit  me  to  say  it,  should  emancipate  Christ — should 
burst  the  tomb  and  the  grave-clothes,  and  set  him  Infi- 


24      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

nite,  Omnipresent,  Omnipotent,  Heavenly — working 
above,  as  ever  in,  and  through  his  church — an  experience 
like  that  of  St.  Paul  when  he  says  :  "  Yea,  though  we 
have  known  Christ  after  the  flesh,  yet  now  henceforth 
know  we  him  no  more."  We  only  know  him  as  the 
Spirit  reveals  him. 

You  have  known  a  man  by  his  clothes — by  his  face — 
now  you  come  to  know  him  by  his  CHARACTER.  Some- 
thing reveals  him  in  his  abilities,  in  his  integrity,  in  his 
truth,  as  your  friend.  Then,  whether  he  be  present  or 
absent,  you  can  say,  "  I  know  him.  I  can  count  on  him 
now  as  never  before." 

The  Holy  Ghost  reveals  Christ.  But  let  us  come  closer  ; 
the  ulterior  and  special  object  of  the  Spirit's  revelation 
is  God's  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  That  is  our 

III.  Point.  "  He  shall  glorify  " — "  Make  me  GLORI- 
OUS." 

St.  Paul  expands  our  Saviour's  statement  in  these 
words  :  "  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine 
out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ." 

The  Apostle  institutes  a  wondrous  parallel  with  the 
original  creation.  Indulge  me  while  I  press  that  paral- 
lel in  its  out-starting  facts. 

"And  God  said,  'Let  there  be  light/  and  there  was 
light" — a  luminous  but  undefined  Aurora  like  that  of 
Northern  cl|rnes  in  winter,  when  objects  are  apparent, 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.       25 

indeed,  but  not  glorified.  Then,  on  the  fourth  day 
the  Sun  rose  oil  this  Earth.  What  a  change !  What  a 
glorious  transfiguration  of  the  material  Earth,  when  the 
Sun  rose  upon  it  in  splendor  ! 

On  the  fourth  day  the  Sun  rose.  What  a  fact !  How 
everything  on  earth  was  touched  and  changed  by  this  ! 
Let  us  try  to  conceive  the  difference  between  the  first 
three  days  and  the  fourth,  when  the  Sun  rose  in  his 
splendor;  and  then  let  us  try  to  take  in  the  stupendous- 
ness  of  the  parallel  made  by  St.  Paul. 

The  world  without  Christ,  or  Christ  in  twilight — 
beneath  the  dawn-line  of  the  Old  Testament — beneath 
the  histories,  and  types,  and  prophecies — beneath  the 
horizon  of  an  Arctic  winter,  and  then,  and  all  at  once, 
and  forever,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  in  visible  perfec- 
tion of  his  glory — the  Mystery  of  Godliness — the  Day- 
spring  from  on  high  ! 

"  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts" — creation  is  the 
prelude  and  the  prophecy  of  a  yet  higher  and  more  sub- 
lime irradiation — "  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  God's  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 

The  statement  of  this  point,  involves,  of  course,  three. 
That  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  God — that  this  knowledge  is  unfolded  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  it  comes  by  a  Divine  in-shining. 

1.  The  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God.  If  God  be 
God,  he  is  glorious,  for  glory  is  manifested  excellence, 
and  God  is  most  excellent,  and  cannot  be  hid. 


26        THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

The  glory  of  God  is  not  only  his  greatness,  but  the 
equipoise  of  his  character.  Satan  is  great,  i.  e.}  in  facul- 
ties, but  he  is  in  no  wise  glorious,  but  infamous  because 
of  the  defect  of  his  character.  Michael,  the  arch-angel, 
originally  no  greater  than  Satan,  and  perhaps  not  so 
great,  is  more  glorious  because  of  the  perfection — the 
balance  of  his  character. 

God's  glory  is  the  equipoise  of  his  attributes.  With 
him  no  where  is  there  too  much — no  where  a  deficit. 

"  A  God  o'er  all  consummate,  absolute, 
Full-orbed,  in  his  whole  world  of  rays  complete." 

All  heresy  starts  from  the  centre,  i.  e.,  by  unpivot- 
ting  God,  by  disturbing  the  balance  of  the  Divine  at- 
tributes, by  making  God  lop-sided,  by  contending  for 
power  to  the  exclusion  of  rectitude,  or  for  sovereignty,  to 
the  exclusion  of  self-consistency ;  or  for  justice,  to  the 
exclusion  of  mercy,  or  for  mercy  to  the  prejudice  of 
justice. 

God — unsupported,  unsuspended,  self-sufficient — is  an 
Orb  at  rest — ponderibus  Libratus  Suis,  equally  balanced 
every  way  by  his  own  weight.  There  is  no  more  power 
in  God  than  there  is  righteousness,  and  no  more  sover- 
eignty than  self-restraint. 

It  is  because  God  is  balanced  and  must  balance  that 
he  is  what  he  is,  and  no  conscience,  however  clouded — 
say  or  think  whatsoever  it  please — can  ever  be  at  peace 
until  it  sees  Eternal  God  himself  at  peace.  A  God  one- 
sided, careened  and  tilted  by  the  overponderance  of  any 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      27 

attribute — a  God  at  war  with  himself,  like  a  sun  on 
fire  devoured  by  mutually  contending  flames,  were  an 
object  of  horror — fitted  only  to  drive  to  distraction. 
Such  a  God — were  it  not  a  mental  contradiction  to  try  to 
conceive  him — could  never  give  peace. 

It  is  important  to  put  emphasis  upon  the  fact  before 
us,  because  the  effort  of  to-day  is  to  destroy  the  balance 
of  the  attributes  of  God — to  posit  it  that  justice,  for  ex- 
ample— and  in  measurement,  and  in  adjustment  every- 
thing comes  back  to  the  straight  line — that  justice  in 
God  is  a  merely  optional  attribute. 

"  How  can  God,"  says  one  of  our  modern  Neolo- 
gians,*  "  How  can  God  be  free  if  he  be  the  slave  of 
his  own  justice  ?  " 

As  well  ask,  "  How  can  I  be  free  if  I  cannot  rid  my- 
self of  my  back-bone?  I  am  the  slave,  then,  of  my 
back-bone.  But  how  can  I  be  a  man  and  have  no 
back-bone  ?  " 

For  God  to  be  free  from  his  justice  would  be  for 
him  to  be  free  from  himself  as  moral, "  and  therefore 
immoral — for  justice  is  simply  looking  on  things  as 
they  are,  and  treating  them  accordingly,  and  to  deny 
this  is  to  deny  rectitude,  and  to  deny  rectitude  is  to 
deny  God  and  make  him  immoral. 

"  God  is  a  Spirit,  infinite,  eternal  and  unchangeable 
in  His  being,  Wisdom,  Power,  Holiness."  Holiness  con- 
sisting, and  in  that  order  of  "justice,  goodness  and 
truth."  Not  goodness  first,  as  if  God  were  mere  law- 

*  Author  of  "Whither." 


28       THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

less,  reckless  good-nature,  but  justice  first — and  yet, 
not  justice  only,  but  equally  goodness,  because  he 
trues — i.e.,  is  truth. 

Ho  wean  you  improve  on  the  told  definition?  It  came 
to  Sir  Harry  Vane  on  his  knees,  while  praying  for  light. 
Did  he  not  get  the  light  ?  Outside  of  the  Scripture, 
what  ever  has  come  so  near  to  direct  inspiration  ? 

Throw  away  your  Theology — nay,  throw  away  your 
Bible,  and,  in  the  light  of  common  sense  alone,  how  can 
you  make  "  love  " — and  by  love,  of  course,  is  meant 
love  to  lost  sinners — how  can  you  make  that  any  more 
than  the  old  definition  has  made  it  without  mak- 
ing it  unholy,  bad  and  wicked  love?  ^What  sort  of  a 
love  is  that  which  has  been  severed  from  holiness,  jus- 
tice and  goodness  ? 

Justice  optional!  What  should  we  think  of  a  man 
to  whom  it  were  optional  to  be  just,  or  to  be  unjust? 

What  should  we  think  of  our  courts  if  it  were  con- 
ceded that  judges  might  rule  as  they  pleased — no  mat- 
ter what  the  evidence — no  matter  how  glaring  the 
facts?  The  moral  grandeur  of  God  is  his  balance, 
his  poise,  that  he  rights  himself.  "Shall  not  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  " 

2.  The  glory  of  God  then,  as  it  stands  revealed  in  vast 
concentric  haloes,  circles  upon  circles  of  immeasurable 
excellence  is  at  its  brightest  spot — its  centre — and  when 
focalized  and  gathered  to  one  burning  point,  nothing 
more,  nothing  less  than  CONCILIATION  OF  JUSTICE  AND 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      29 

GRACE.  "  How  can  God  be  just  and  justify  the 
guilty  ?  "  lies  at  the  root  of  the  Gospel.  The  answer 
to  that  question  is  the  Gospel,  and  Christ  on  the  cross 
is  its  sum. 

Christ  on  the  cross,  not  Christ  in  pre-existence, 
transcending  thought  as  is  the  mystery  of  everlasting 
generation. 

Christ  on  the  cross,  not  Christ  incarnate,  in  the  won- 
drous constitution  of  his  Person — web- work  as  it  is, 
and  master-piece  of  all  the  attributes  of  God  com- 
bined— as  if  the  sun  should  come  down  out  of  heaven 
and  shine  in,  and  through  some  creature  making  it  for- 
ever a  sun-creature. 

Not  Christ,  a  babe,  in  glory  streaming  from  the 
manger. 

Not  Christ  when  twelve  years  old,  the  fair  Divin-. 
ity  but  softly  breaking  through  his  youthful  form  and 
gesture  as  he  stands  questioning  the  doctors  and  unveil- 
ing the  Messiah  of  the  Scriptures  in  such  wise  as  to  an- 
ticipate his  whole  commission  and  to  make  rejection  of 
him  from  that  moment,  the  unpardonable  sin. 

Not  Christ  again  in  all  the  grand  kaleidoscopic  as- 
pects of  his  ministry,  as  miracles  spring  up  beneath  his 
footsteps  like  fresh  flowers. 

Not  Christ  in  any,  nor  in  all,  these  revelations,  glori- 
ous as  they  are,  but  still  subordinate,  but  Christ  upon 
the  tree. 

Christ  on  the  cross,  his  visage  marred  more  than  any 
man's,  bore  witness  to  God's  truth.  It  was  there  the 


30      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

vision  of  God's  glory  shone  the  brightest  "  in  the  face 
of  Jesus,"  stamped  with  Divinity  and  stained  with  blood. 

It  was  there  seen  that  God  would  not  swerve — that 
sin  must  be  punished.  It  was  also  seen  that  God 
would  punish  sin  by  punishing  himself — that  the  whole 
united  Godhead  would  suffer — the  Father  in  giving  his 
Son  from  his  bosom — the  Sou  in  agonies  of  blood  and 
death — the  Holy  Ghost  in  joint  participation  of  co-equal 
sufferings,  and  in  the  grieving  to  which  he  submits — be- 
fore God  would,  in  any  wise,  clear  the  guilty. 

Christ  on  the  cross  bore  our  guilt.  As  a  race  we  lay 
crushed  beneath  it.  Imagine  a  weight  like  that  lifted 
and  borne  by  one  helpless  Man — a  weight  that  all  the 
Angels,  Cherubim  and  Seraphim  and  Powers  could  not 
have  raised  by  one  united  and  stupendous  straining  ! 
Yet  he  raised  it,  and  not  only  so,  he,  the  mighty  Scape- 
Goat  of  iniquities,  bore  it  away  to  a  land  uninhabited 
— sought  for,  it  cannot  be  found. 

What  is  the  upshot  of  this  ?  The  upshot  is  that  from 
the  instant  you  and  I  look  away  to  Christ  as  our  Sub- 
stitute ;  we  are  eternally  saved. 

"  The  guilt  of  twice  ten  thousand  sins  one  offering 
takes  away." 

"  If  Christ  has  my  discharge  procured 
And  freely  in  my  place  endured, 

The  whole  of  wrath  Divine, 
Payment  God  cannot  twice  demand, 
First,  at  my  bleeding  Surety's  hand 

And  then  again  at  mine." 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEA.LER  OF  CHRIST.      31 

"  Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  not  through 
our  moralities,  nor  feelings,  nor  ceremonies,  but  alone 
and  solely  through  him. 

Is  not  that  glorious  f  Bursts  there  not  a  glory  from  that 
torn  flesh  which  hangs  and  writhes  upon  those  ragged 
nails,  which  challenges  all  suns  to  rival  it  in  splendor  ? 

Is  not  here  God's  glory  focalized,  as  it  swings  low 
and  kisses  even  your  and  my  horizon  ?  When  we  were 
at  the  North  Cape,  at  midnight,  a  French  gentleman 
took  out  a  sun-glass  and  burned  a  hole  in  his  hat  with 
it.  Low  as  the  sun  was,  he  was  still  clothed  with  all 
his  burning  power. 

So  is  it  with  our  Saviour  on  the  cross.  "  For  though  he 
was  crucified  through  weakness,  yet  he  liveth  " — there, 
yes  there,  he  liveth — and  for  you  and  me  he  liveth 
— "  liveth  by  the  power  of  God." 

"  For  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

3d.  This  glory  hath  inshined — that  is  the  third  point. 
It  hath  shined  not  historically — not  in  the  face  of  a  phy- 
sical Christ,  although  these,  of  course,  are  included  ;  but 
through  the  veil  on  the  heart.  Christ's  glory  to  mere 
worldly  men  is  a  veiled  glory ;  "  the  veil/'  says  the 
apostle,  "  is  upon  their  heart." 


32       THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST. 

That  veil  has  been  rent — not  from  our  side — from 
God's  side.  Not  from  the  bottom  where  we  could  take 
hold — you  and  I  could  not  rend  any  Veil ;  but  from  the 
top — where  God  can  take  hold — to  the  bottom.  Christ, 
full  length,  appears  ;  let  down  as  a  Saviour  for  sinners 
— let  down  where  we  are,  at  our  last  and  our  lowest — 
let  down  where  we  can  take  hold;  and  God  says, 
"  Take  hold  !  I  have  rent — I  have  split  down  the  Veil." 

God  hath  "  shined  in  " — not  into  the  world  only,  that 
is  not  enough — could  not  be,  for  "  the  light  shineth  in 
darkness,  and  the  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not." 

Into  believing  hearts  God  hath  shined.  It  is  not 
simply  knowledge,  but  it  is  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge. It  is  not  Church  instruction,  but  heart-work — 
interior  regeneration.  "When  it  pleased  God,"  says 
Paul,  "  to  reveal  His  Son  within  me,  immediately  I 
took  no  conference  with  flesh  and  blood." 

How  then,  do  we  see  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ? 

One  way,  by  Faith.  Faith  is  the  great  opened  eye 
of  the  soul.  We  believe  God  speaking  in  His  Word. 
We  believe  that  Jesus  is  God.  We  believe,  and  see  it 
in  new  light,  that  in  extremis,  in  salvation,  highest 
angel  equally  with  highest  man  avails  not.  Only  God 
upon  the  tree  can  answer  God  upon  the  throne. 

Another  way— --the  light  shines  in  is  by  the  Witness 
of  the  Spirit.  What  is  that  witness  if  not  a  supernatural 
spiritual  emphasis  put  on  the  assurances  and  promises  of 
God,  which  makes  them  true  to  us  without  a  question  ? 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      33 

"The  Holy  Spirit  also  testifies  unto  us,"  says  St. 
Paul,  in  Heb.  10 :  15,  "Their  sins  and  their  iniquities 
will  I  remember  no  more."  The  Spirit  bears  with 
the  Word,  his  assurance,  IN  on  the  soul.  I  have 
not  only  heard  Christ's  doctrine,  but  I  have  his  voice 
speaking  within  me. 

"  The  Spirit  answers  to  the  Blood, 
And  tells  me  I  am  born  of  God." 

Nothing  like  this  to  give  peace !  It  comforts  now, 
amid  all  sins,  all  tumults,  all  perplexities,  and  it  will 
comfort  when  the  head  lies  on  its  last  pillow,  and  can 
turn  and  look  no  where  else. 

A  third  way  Light  shines  in  is  by  Consciousness. 
Consciousness  of  breathing  goes  with  breathing.  Con- 
sciousness of  walking  goes  with  walking.  Conscious- 
ness of  life  and  vigor  goes  with  power.  A  man  full  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  knows  what  he  is  full  of,  and  that  he 
is  not  empty.  He  knows  that  his  light  is  not  darkness 
— that  his  joy  is  not  despair,  and  that  his  power  is 
something  other  and  more  than  physical  elation  or 
physical  energy. 

"  Can  he  not,  through  some  interior  eye  which  we 
know  not,  and  for  which  we  have  no  name,  pour  into 
us  the  radiance  of  his  own  infinite  glory,  though  he  be 
the  king  invisible,  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can 
see  ?  "  Can  he  not  manifest  himself  to  the  eye  of  in- 
terior consciousness  with  a  distinctness  of  spiritual 
presence  as  satisfying  as  that  which  his  bodily  form 
3 


34      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALEB  OF  CHRIST. 

gave  to  the  external  vision  of  his  disciples?  Can  he 
not  pour  floods  on  floods  of  inundating  life  upon  us 
until  lifted,  floated  we  shall  move  like  the  resistless 
waves  in  might  of  spiritual  power  ? 

He  can!  he  can!  We  know  it.  We  have  felt  it, 
and  the  voice  of  yearning  irrepressible,  has  turned  it 
into  prayer. 

"  Refining  Fire  !  go  through  my  heart, 

Illuminate  my  soul, 
Scatter  thy  life  in  every  part, 
And  sanctify  the  whole." 

This  Revelation  of  Christ  by  the  Spirit  is  what  the 
WORLD  needs — is  dying  for — "  When  he  shall  come  to 
you  he  shall  convince  the  world  of  sin." 

This  Revelation  of  Christ — -fresh  revelation  I  mean, 
satisfying  our  souls,  filling,  flooding— enlarging  us 
with  the  light,  and  the  love,  and  the  joy,  and  the 
strength  of  the  Lord  is  what  we  need,  my  Brethren. 
What  you  and  I  need  if  we  would  save  a  dying  world. 
In  other  words,  we  need  the  Baptism  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  that  we  may  see  Christ  and  preach  Christ. 

The  reason  why  we  do  not  get  on — have  little  enlarge- 
ment— is  the  lack  of  this  Baptism.  And  the  reason 
why  we  lack  this  Baptism  is,  that  we  do  not,  as  we 
ought,  believe  in  it.  We  look  on  Pentecost  as  a  stereo- 
type. It  stands  for  us  the  monument  of  what  was 
once  a  living  benediction,  but  is  dead.  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  as  it  were,  mummified  in  the  Church.  He 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALER  OF  CHRIST.      35 

is  mechanical,  in  our  conception,  latent.  He  is  being 
carried  under  our  decent  ceremonials  as  the  dead  em- 
peror Numidian  was  carried,  in  his  closed  litter,  into 
the  battle. 

Few  of  us,  I  fear,  are  praying  as  our  fathers  prayed. 
"  Breathe  from  the  four  winds,  O  BREATH  ! "  in  the 
conviction  that  the  Church's  power  is  the  direct  im- 
pingement of  the  supernatural — that  it  is  afflatus  from 
on  high — or  else  our  gilded  congregations  are  but 
bleaching  bones. 

And  because  we  do  not  believe  in  the  Baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  we  do  not  ask  for  it.  We  look  on  men 
like  Whitefield  and  Carvosso,  Brainerd  and  Edwards, 
Bramwell  and  Spurgeon,  Cecil  and  McCheyne  as  un- 
approachable examples,  and  so  our  sermons  drag,  and 
Sunday-school  instructions  drag,  and  evangelism  drags 
and  life  drags. 

What  we  want  is  A  FRESH  REVELATION  OF  CHRIST. 
As  dear  McCheyne  says,  "  Christ  for  me !  that's  ever 
new,  that's  ever  glorious."  Revivals  of  religion  will 
begin  again,  my  Brethren,  when  ministers  go  back  to 
the  A.  B.  C.  of  the  Gospel — when  they  consent  to  cru- 
cify their  brains  and  preach  upon  the  simplest  texts. 
"  It  is  a  faithful  saying."  "  God  so  loved  the  world." 
The  Spirit  owns  a  very  simple  Christ. 

What  we  want  is  a  FRESH  REVELATION  OF  CHRIST. 
Not  to  see  him  physically,  with  Huxley,  nor  intellectu- 
ally, with  the  "  Higher  Criticism  "  men,  but  with  Bun- 
yan  and  with  Christmas  Evans,  by  the  Holy  Ghost — 


36      THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  THE  REVEALEE  OF  CHRIST. 

"  To  view  the  Lamb  in  his  own  light, 

Whom  angels  dimly  see, 
And  gaze  transported  at  that  sight 
Through  all  eternity." 

"  We,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
are  changed  BY  THE  SPIRIT  from  glory  to  glory."  Let 
us  believe  this.  Let  us,  too,  gaze  until  WE  are  changed 
— our  ministry  transfigured.  Until  from  glory  unto 
glory  we  anticipate  the  beatific  vision.  Then,  on  our 
death-beds,  if  the  Lord  should  tarry,  we  may  say  as 
did  the  dying  John  Owen,  when  there  were  brought  to 
him  the  last  wet  proof-sheets  of  his  immortal  Book — 
"  the  Glory  of  Christ " — "  some  glimpses  of  it  I  have 
had  already,  but  now  I  am  going  where  I  shall  see  it  as 
I  have  never  seen  it  in  this  world."  I 

God  grant  the  Revelation  now,  as  flesh  and  blood  can 
bear,  and  afterward  the  far  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory  for  his  dear  Son's  sake. 


IV. 

"THE  ENDUEMENT  OF  THE  SPIRIT." 

BY  REV.  JULIUS    E.   GRAMMER,    D.D.* 

"  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon 
you  :  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth"  — 
Acts  1  :  8. 


was  the  promise  of  our  Lord  to  his  church. 
They  should  receive  power  from  on  high. 
They  should  be  led  into  all  truth.  They  should 
have  the  comforting  assurance  of  his  presence  and 
of  the  Paraclete.  The  honor  put  upon  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  so  great  as  to  lead  us  to  magnify  his  office.  He  is  the 
Lord  ;  and  the  Giver  of  Life.  The  children  of  God  are 
born  of  the  Spirit,  and  taught  by  the  Spirit,  and  led  by 
the  Spirit.  We  see  that  he  is  the  author  of  all  pro- 
phecy, and  the  witness  of  Jesus,  as  the  Son  of  God,  by 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  He  is  compared  to  the 
wind,  blowing  where  it  listeth,  to  show  his  sovereignty 
and  his  freedom.  He  is  likened  to  the  fire,  to  show  his 
kindling  and  illumining  influence.  He  is  promised  to 
all  who  ask.  Without  him  the  Apostles  would  have 
been  utterly  helpless.  It  was  not  by  the  eloquence  of  an 

*  Eector  of  St.  Peter's  P.  E.  Church,  Baltimore. 

37 


38  •  THE   ENDUEMENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

Apollos,  nor  by  the  learning  of  a  Paul,  nor  by  the  might 
of  worldly  force,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

That  Holy  Spirit  of  Promise  was  to  be  to  the  church 
what  the  Shekinah  was  to  the  temple  of  old  ;  what  the 
breath  of  Heaven  was  in  the  valley  of  Ezskiel's  vision  ; 
what  the  presence  and  power  of  Elijah's  prayer  were  to 
the  dead  child  of  the  widow  of  Zarephath. 

We  see  the  effect  of  his  presence, 

1st.  First  of  all  in  the  holy  boldness  it  gave  the  Apos- 
tles. They  had  been  timid  and  half-hearted.  They  had 
fled  at  the  cross,  and  hid  in  the  upper  room.  They  were 
weakened  by  fear  of  the  magistrates  and  of  worldly 
authority. 

Peter  denied  his  Lord,  and  even  the  Apostle  John 
forsook  him  and  fled.  But  what  a  contrast  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost !  See  them  before  the  men  who  had  im- 
brued their  hands  in  our  Saviour's  blood.  That  same 
Apostle  tells  them  they  "  killed  the  Prince  of  life." 
He  bids  them  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized."  He  is  no 
longer  tempted  to  deny  or  desert,  but  he  lifts  up  the 
standard  of  the  Lord.  Surely  this  is  a  great  contrast. 
Their  courage  is  more  than  a  match  for  the  most  men- 
acing foes.  They  are  not  abashed  by  the  scourge  of 
the  magistrates,  or  the  dangers  of  persecution.  They 
appeal  to  God  and  are  not  afraid  of  men.  So  it  has 
been  in  the  history  of  every  true  prophet  endued 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.  See  Moses  before  Pharaoh ; 
Elijah  before  Ahab.  See  John  the  Baptist,  with  the 
energy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  from  his  birth,  and  as  a 


THE   ENDUEMENT  OF   THE   SPIEIT.  39 

great  preacher  standing  before  Herod.  See  Paul  be- 
fore Felix  and  the  world's  proudest  skeptics.  See 
Chrysostom  before  Eudoxia,  and  Basil  before  Valens; 
and  Luther  before  the  Diet  of  Worms,  and  Knox  be- 
fore Mary  of  Scots,  and  Cranmer,  at  the  fires  of 
Smithfield.  You  see  how  full  the  Holy  Spirit  filled 
the  hearts  of  these  brave  and  devoted  men,  that  they 
should  not  fear  the  face  of  man.  And  surely  that  is 
the  need  of  the  church  to-day.  We  shrink  from  the 
challenge  of  giant  forms  of  evil  which  menace  the  life 
of  the  soul.  We  need  to-day  that  enduement  of  bold- 
ness which  shall  teach  us  to  say,  "  Let  no  man's  heart 
fail  him."  Yes,  that  hopeful  courage  which  shall 
confront  the  mountains  of  defiant  evil  that  they  may 
become  a  plain  before  Zerubbabel.  Isaiah  was  "  very 
bold  "  as  he  stretched  forth  his  hand  all  the  day  long 
to  a  gain-saying  people. 

Surely  the  want  of  courage  is  the  want  of  the 
Spirit;  and  when  that  enduement  possesses  the  soul 
it  can  say  as  did  Deborah,  "  O  my  soul,  thou  hast 
trodden  down  strength." 

"  Then  were  the  horsehoofs  broken  by  the  means  of  the 
prancings,  the  prancings  of  their  mighty  ones."  "  Greater 
is  he  that  is  in  you  than  he  that  is  in  the  world." 

2d.  Again,  the  enduement  of  the  Spirit  taught  men 
to  depend  upon  the  word.  The  great  instrument  of 
spiritual  conquest  is  the  Bible,  which  is  "the  sword 
of  the  Spirit."  "It  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness 
of  preaching  to  save  them  that  believe." 


40  THE    EXDUEMENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

St.  Paul,  writing  to  Timothy,  in  the  midst  of  pre- 
vailing Gnosticism  and  error,  urges  him,  "  Preach  the 
word,  in  season  and  out  of  season."  It  is  the  word 
which  is  "the  seed."  It  is  the  word  of  God  which 
is  quick  and  powerful,  sharper  than  any  two-edged 
sword.  It  is  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling 
down  of  the  strongholds  of  sin. 

Where  the  Bible  is  most  read,  studied  and  preached ; 
where  its  light  has  shone,  there  the  vital  and  saving 
power  of  Christianity  has  been  most  felt.  God  hon- 
ors his  word.  The  Scriptures  are  given  by  inspira- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  are  profitable  for  instruction 
in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  thorough- 
ly furnished  unto  every  good  work.  Jesus  said,  "  Search 
the  Scriptures."  Out  of  them  he  taught  the  disciples  and 
made  their  hearts  burn  within  them  by  the  way.  The 
great  commission  is,  "  Go  preach  my  Gospel."  Preach 
the  word;  not  tradition;  not  speculation  ;  not  philo- 
sophy or  rationalism,  not  the  theories  of  men. 

St.  Paul  said,  "  The  Gospel  which  I  delivered  to  you 
is  the  same  also  that  I  received,  how  Christ  died  for 
our  sins,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and  that  he  rose 
again,  according  to  the  Scriptures." 

You  see  how  our  L'ord  appealed  to  them,  for  he 
said :  What  saith  the  Scriptures  ?  "  You  see  how  the 
prophet  directs  us  "  to  the  law  and  the  testimony."  A 
ministry  which  subordinates  the  pulpit,  dishonors  the 
divinely  appointed  means  of  the  world's  conversion 
and  sanctification. 


THE   ENDUEMEXT   OF   THE   SPIRIT.  41 

We  are  born  again  of  "the  incorruptible  seed," 
even  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for- 
ever. "  My  word,"  says  God,  "  shall  accomplish  that 
whereunto  I  send  it."  And  under  the  influence  of  that 
we  see  the  revolutions  which  have  been  wrought  in 
society.  We  see  the  wilderness  changed  into  a  garden 
and  the  habitations  of  cruelty  into  the  abodes  of  peace. 

Surely  it  is  the  pulpit  which  has  made  Scotland, 
England  and  America  what  they  are  to-day.  It  is 
an  open  and  free  Bible  which  has  saved  Germany 
from  the  condition  ot  Italy,  Spain,  Austria  and  South 
America.  It  is  to  a  free  church,  a  free  conscience, 
a  free  education,  and  above  all,  to  a  free  Bible — that 
under  God  we  are  to  ascribe  the  present  condition  of 
Protestant  Christendom.  That  eminent  painter,  Kaul- 
bach,  has  magnificently  portrayed  the  period  of  the 
Reformation.  As  the  climax  of  the  thought  preced- 
ing and  growing  out  of  it,  he  has  gathered  into  a 
group  the  representative  men  of  the  world  before 
and  after  that  great  era.  There  is  Columbus,  with 
his  charts,  the  discoverer  of  the  new  world,  where 
the  Bible  has  won  its  proudest  victories.  There  is 
Sir  Isaac  Newton,  with  his  globe  and  his  "Prin- 
cipia ; "  Sir  Isaac  Barrow,  with  his  ponderous  tomes 
on  the  "  Pope's  Supremacy ; "  Sir  Francis  Bacon, 
with  his  "  Novum  Organum  ; "  Dante,  the  poet  of 
the  Reformation,  with  his  "  Divina  Commedia ; " 
Shakespeare,  with  his  immortal  Dramas  ;  Guttenberg, 
with  his  printing  press,  and,  in  the  midst  of  them 


42  THE   ENDUEMENT  OF   THE  SPIRIT. 

all,  Martin  Luther,  with  his  open  Bible  lifted  to  re- 
flect the  glory  of  God,  and  to  shed  the  beams  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness,  with  healing  in  his  wings. 
The  lesson  of  such  a  great  painting  is  clearly  this : 
"  The  entrance  of  thy  word,  O  Lord,  giveth  light — it 
giveth  understanding  unto  the  simple." 

"  Brethren,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  pray  for  us,  that  the 
word  of  God  may  have  free  course  and  be  glorified." 

3d.  Again,  we  see  the  endtiement  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  keeping  the  Apostles,  and  their  true  successors,  loyal 
to  their  commission. 

They  preached  Christ.  In  Corinth,  with  its  luxury 
and  rich  commerce,  St.  Paul  determined  to  know  nothing 
but  "  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified"  In  Athens,  with 
its  sculptured  monuments  and  its  temples  of  imposing 
grandeur,  he  preached  "  Jesus  and  the  resurrection''1  In 
Ephesus,  with  its  witchcraft  and  magic,  "  fear  fell  on 
them  all,  and  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  was  magnified. 
And  many  that  believed  came  and  confessed  and  shewed 
their  deeds.  Many  of  them  also  which  used  curious  arts 
brought  their  books  together  and  burned  them  before 
all  men  :  and  they  counted  the  price  of  them  and  found 
it  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver,  so  mightily  grew  the 
word  of  God  and  prevailed." 

In  Rome, "  where,"  as  Tacitus  said,  "  everything  vile 
came,"  the  Apostle  says  he  was  not "  ashamed  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ ;  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation 
to  every  one  that  believeth  ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to 
the  Greek."  "  Christ  first,  Christ  midst,  Christ  last," 


THE   ENDUEMENT   OF  THE   SPIRIT.  43 

was  the  theme  of  Apostolic  preaching.  It  was  not 
ecclesiasticism  ;  it  was  not  ceremonialism  ;  it  was  not  to 
confront  the  opposition  of  "  science,  falsely  so  called  ; " 
it  was  not "  profane  and  vain  babblings."  IT  WAS 
CHRIST.  We  see  this  characterized  their  preaching 
everywhere.  As  Philip  preached  to  the  treasurer  of  the 
queen  of  Candace,  it  was  "  Jesus "  and  his  sacrifice. 
The  Holy  Spirit  blessed  it  and  the  chamberlain  "  went 
on  his  way  rejoicing." 

"  Unto  me,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  is  this  grace  given, 
that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  Jesus  said,  "  He  shall  take  of  mine 
and  show  it  unto  you."  "  He  shall  glorify  Me." 

4th.  Again  we  see  the  enduement  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
exercise  of  a  faith  which  depended  upon  the  power  of  God. 

"  Who  is  Paul  ?  "  says  the  Apostle,  and  "  who  is 
Apollos  ?  but  ministers  by  whom  ye  believed."  The 
sovereignty  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  not  con- 
fined to  men  of  learning  or  eloquence.  The  humblest 
witness  for  Christ  might  become  an  instrument  of  un- 
told good.  An  Aquila  and  a  Priscilla  could  teach  even  an 
Apollos  "  the  way  of  the  Lord  more  perfectly."  The  most 
obscure  servants  of  Christ  have  been  raised  up  for  his 
work,  to  show  that  the  weak  things  are  often  chosen  to 
confound  the  mighty,  and  "things  which  are  not  "to 
bring  "  to  naught  things  that  are ;  that  no  flesh  shall 
glory  in  his  presence."  And  certainly  we  have  lived  to 
witness  that  in  our  time.  We  have  seen  an  Evangelist, 
with  no  equipment  of  scholarly  attainments,  with  none  of 


44  THE   ENDUEMENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

the  polish  and  erudition  either  of  the  theologian  or  the 
cultured  orator,  moving  multitudes  and  calling  them  to 
Christ,  as  no  minister,  possibly,  of  modern  times.  Can 
any  one  doubt  that  it  is  "  the  finger  of  God  ; "  that  it 
is  the  power  of  the  Spirit ;  that  it  is  the  power  of 
Elias  and  John  the  Baptist  and  of  the  Lord  himself, 
illustrating  the  enduring  wealth  of  his  promise,  "Cease 
ye  from  man."  Remember  the  record  which  is  given  in 
The  Acts,  "  Now  when  they  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter 
and  John,  and  perceived  that  they  were  unlearned  and 
ignorant  men,  they  marvelled ;  and  they  took  knowl- 
edge of  them,  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus." 

We  emphasize  this,  not  that  we  would  discourage 
learning,  but  to  show  how  God,  the  Holy  Spirit,  uses 
men  of  low  degree  often  to  do  such  a  work  so  as  to  mag- 
nify his  Grace.  We  find  Peter  and  John,  as  well  as 
Paul  and  Apollos,  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  and  clothed  with  a  wisdom  above  the  world,  yet 
never  having  been  taught.  Certainly  we  have  great 
reason  to  rejoice  in  all  the  contributions  of  a  profound 
erudition  to  the  wealth  of  the  Church's  literature.  We 
see  many  great  names  in  the  mighty  host  of  stars 
which  Jesus  holds  in  his  right  hand ;  but  we  see  among 
the  brightest  of  them  those  who  were  best  known,  be- 
cause "  They  were  wise  to  turn  many  to  righteousness." 
They  were  poor,  yet  made  many  rich.  They  had 
nothing,  and  yet  they  possessed  all  things. 

5th.  Nor  should  we  forget  to  notice  the  enduement  of 
the  Spirit  in  its  world-embracing  zeal. 


THE   ENDUEMENT   OF  THE  SPIRIT.  45 

"  They  went  everywhere,  preaching  the  word."  No 
Jewish  exclusiveness  confined  them  to  the  house  of  Is- 
rael. The  house  of  Cornelius  was  admitted  as  a  sharer 
in  those  benefits.  St.  Peter  says,  "  The  promise  is  unto 
you,  and  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off." 
They  saw  that  the  middle  wall  of  partition  was  broken 
down.  They  went  "  far  hence  to  the  Gentiles,"  and  to 
the  utmost  bounds  of  the  earth.  Not  only  to  Philippi, 
but  to  Rome,  and  not  to  Rome  only,  but  into  all  the 
world.  The  Spirit  of  God  while  it  recognizes  all  dis- 
tinctions of  government  and  of  administrations,  secuiar 
and  sacred,  at  the  same  time  it  teaches  us  that  the  whole 
world  is  guilty  before  God,  and  in  need  of  the  common 
salvation.  And  while  men  talk  of  "  Catholicity,"  let 
us  learn  from  the  Spirit  that  he  is  a  catholic  who 
loves  God  and  his  neighbor,  who  loves  Christ  and 
his  Gospel.  He  is  a  catholic  who  learns,  under  the 
enduemeut  of  the  Spirit,  to  realize  that  there  is  neither 
Jew  nor  Gentile,  Bond  nor  Free,  Greek  nor  Barbarian, 
in  the  light  of  the  Gospel ;  but  all  are  "  One  in 
Christ." 

This  is  the  Charity  which  rejoices  in  the  Truth  : 
which  makes  Christ  Head  and  teaches  that  all 
we  are  brethren.  The  whole  Spirit  of  the  Gospel 
is  opposed  to  proselytism.  It  seeks  not  to  build  up 
party,  or  sect,  or  hierarchy,  but  to  add  to  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ.  "  He  shall  glorify  Me  ;  "  not  schools 
of  thought,  not  the  monuments  of  the  world's  wis- 
dom and  philosophy ;  not  organizations,  or  ecclesiasti- 


46  THE   ENDUEMENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

cal  Shibboleths,  but  Christ ;  Christ  as  Saviour,  Teacher, 
King. 

St.  Paul  said  he  was  "  all  things  to  all  men  "  (with- 
out the  compromise  of  any  principle)  u  that  by  all  means 
he  might  save  some."  And  when  we  catch  that  motive 
and  the  true  meaning  of  that  principle,  we  have  the 
Spirit  of  Christ. 

The  reigning  desire  of  the  Church  is  for  unity. 
And  according  to  the  measure,  in  which  we  have  that 
love  and  loyalty  to  Christ,  will  we  "  love  all  those  who 
love  him."  Surely  there  is  a  volume  of  truth  in  that 
passage  of  the  Apostle,  "  Some,  indeed,  preach  Christ, 
even  of  envy  and  strife ;  and  some  also  of  good  will. 
The  one  preach  Christ  of  contention,  not  sincerely,  sup- 
posing to  add  affliction  to  my  bonds.  But  the  other  of 
love,  knowing  that  I  am  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gos- 
pel. What  then  ?  notwithstanding,  every  way,  whether 
in  pretence  or  in  truth,  Christ  is  preached ;  and  I  there- 
in do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice.  For  I  know  that 
this  shall  turn  to  my  salvation  through  your  prayer, 
and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  Accord- 
ing to  my  earnest  expectation  and  my  hope,  that  in 
nothing  I  shall  be  ashamed,  but  that  with  all  boldness, 
as  always,  so  now  also  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  my 
body,  whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death." 

What  better  attainment  can  we  hope,  and  labor,  and 
pray  for  than  such  a  spirit  ?  The  nearer  we  are  to 
Christ  the  nearer  we  are  to  each  other.  The  nearer  to  the 
Head,  the  more  we  shall  say,  as  John  the  Baptist,  "He 


THE   ENDUEMENT   OF  THE  SPIRIT.  47 

must  increase,    but  I  must  decrease."     " Not  I"  says 
the  Apostle  Paul,  "  but  Christ  that  dwelleth  in  me." 

If  there  is  any  meaning  in  our  coming  together,  it  is 
that  we  may  have  that  zeal,  which  is  according  to 
knowledge,  that  faith  which  worketh  by  love,  and  that 
love  which  prays  for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the 
City  of  God.  Let  our  citizenship  be  as  it  becometh 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  that  we  stand  fast  in  one  spirit, 
with  one  mind  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel. 


V. 

THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

BY  GEORGE  DANA   BOARDMAN,   D.D.,  I,L.D. 

"  When  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness, 
and  of  judgment  :  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me;  of  righteousness, 
because  I  go  to  my  Father,  and  ye  see  me  no  more;  of  judgment,  because 
the  prince  of  this  world  is  judged."  —  John  16  :  8-11. 


pregnant  paragraph  sets  forth  the  three  chief 
•*-  offices  of  the  Paraclete  in  his  relations  to  men  in 
this  seen.  When  he  is  come,  he  will  convict  the  world, 
first,  in  respect  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on 
Christ  ;  in  other  words,  the  Spirit  is  to  bring  to  the 
world  the  conviction  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  sin, 
and  that  sin  consists  in  the  refusal  to  believe  on  Jesus 
Christ.  The  Spirit  is  to  convict  the  world,  secondly,  in 
respect  of  righteousness,  because  Jesus  has  gone  to  the 
Father,  and  we  behold  him  no  more  ;  in  other  words, 
the  Spirit  is  to  bring  to  the  world  the  conviction  that 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  righteousness,  and  that  right- 
eousness consists  in  Christ's  incarnate  career,  as  demon- 
strated by  his  return  to  heaven.  The  Spirit  is  to  con- 
vict the  world,  thirdly,  in  respect  of  judgment,  because 
the  prince  of  this  world  hath  been  judged  ;  in  other 
words,  the  Spirit  is  to  bring  to  the  world  the  conviction 
48 


THE   SPIRIT'S   THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  49 

that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  judgment,  and  that  judg- 
ment consists  in  the  triumph  through  Christ  of  right- 
eousness over  sin.  In  this  paragraph,  therefore,  is 
compacted  an  outline  of  man's  guilt,  Christ's  righteous- 
ness and  Jesus'  final  victory  over  Satan  ;  that  is  to  say,  a 
compendious  moral  history  of  the  world  from  the  Eden 
that  has  been  to  the  Eden  that  is  to  be.  And  now  let 
us  ponder  the  profound  paragraph  in  detail. 

I.  The  Spirit's  Conviction  of  Sin. — And  first,  the 
Spirit's  Conviction  of  Sin  : — "  Of  sin,  became  they  believe 
not  on  me." 

1.  This  is  not  society's  definition  of  sin :  according 
to  society,  sin  means  crime,  vice,  immorality.  Neither 
is  it  the  philosopher's  definition  of  sin  :  according  to 
the  philosopher,  sin  means  misdirection,  abuse,  disease. 
Neither  is  it  the  theologian's  definition  of  sin :  accord- 
ing to  the  theologian,  sin  means  transgression  of  God's 
law,  coming  short  of  God's  glory,  hereditary  guilt. 
But  it  is  Christ's  definition  of  sin :  according  to  Christ, 
sin  means  unbelief  on  himself,  unbelief  in  Jesus  as  the 
Christ  and  Son  and  Image  and  Revealer  of  the  Father. 
"'Of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me."  And  this 
is  sin  indeed.  For  the  Word  made  flesh  is  Immanuel, 
God-with-us.  To  disbelieve  on  Jesus,  then,  is  to  dis- 
believe on  Deity  himself.  Whosoever  denieth  the 
Son,  the  same  hath  not  the  Father  (1  John  2  :  23). 
Christlessness  in  a  Christian  land  is  atheism.  Sin, 
therefore,  became  a  new  thing  when  Jesus  came  into 
the  world.  Recall  what  he  himself  had  just  said : 
4 


50         THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

"  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had 
not  had  sin  :  but  now  they  have  no  excuse  for  their 
sin."  (John  15  :  22.)  Therefore  it  is  that  disbelief  on 
Christ  is  the  sin  of  sins,  ay,  sin  itself. 

2.  Observe  now  that  of  this  sin  of  sins  the  Spirit  is 
the  sole  convicter.  When  he  is  come,  he  will  convict 
the  world  in  respect  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on 
Jesus.  And  no  other  power  can.  The  preacher  can- 
not do  it;  conscience  cannot  do  it ;  even  holy  scripture 
cannot  do  it.  Remember  the  difference  between  sins 
and  sin.  A  jury  may  convict  me  of  crimes :  con- 
science may  convict  me  of  sins.  But  no  power  less 
than  the  Holy  Spirit  can  convict  me  of  sin.  No  barb 
but  his  can  pierce  to  the  root  of  my  nature ;  no  flash 
but  his  can  show  me  to  myself  as  a  ruined  sinner. 
And  the  argument  he  wields  in  convicting  me  of  sin  is 
this  very  fact  that  I  do  not  believe  on  Jesus.  Calvary, 
not  Siuaj,  is  the  Spirit's  mightiest  artillery.  Listen  to 
Jehovah's  word  through  his  prophet  Zechariah  : 

I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David, 
And  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
The  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplication ; 
And  they  shall  look  unto  him  whom  they  have  pierced : 
And  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  mourneth  for  his  only  son, 
And  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for 
his  first-born.  — ZECHARIAH  12:  10. 

Thus  it  was  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  Peter, 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  charged  on  his  hearers  the 
crime  of  the  crucifixion  so  boldly  that  they  were 


THE  SPIRIT'S  THEEEFOLD  CONVICTION.  51 

pierced  to  the  heart,  and  cried,  "What  shall  we  do?" 
And  so  also  it  has  ever  been  the  experience  of  every 
consciously  awakened  sinner.  He  feels  that  John  New- 
ton echoes  his  own  experience  when  he  confesses : 

I  saw  One  hangihg  on  a  tree, 

In  agony  and  blood, 
Who  fixed  his  languid  eyes  on  me, 

As  near  the  cross  I  stood. 

Sure,  never  till  my  latest  breath, 

Can  I  forget  that  look : 
It  seemed  to  charge  me  with  his  death, 

Though  not  a  word  he  spoke. 

My  conscience  felt  and  owned  the  guilt, 

And  plunged  me  in  despair ; 
I  saw  my  sins  his  blood  had  spilt, 

And  helped  to  nail  him  there. 

— JOHN  NEWTON. 

But  what  avails  it  to  be  convicted  of  sin,  unless  at 
the  same  time  we  are  also  convicted  that  there  is  some- 
where righteousness,  and  that  this  righteousness  can  be 
made  available  to  ourselves  ? 

II.  The  Spirit's  Conviction  of  Righteousness. — And 
so  we  pass,  secondly,  to  the  Spirit's  conviction  of 
Righteousness:  "When  he  is  come,  he  will  convict  the 
world  in  respect  of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  the 
Father,  and  ye  behold  me  no  more." 

1.  "  Of  righteousness."  What  is  this  righteousness 
of  which  our  Lord  here  speaks  ?  Whose  righteousness 
is  it? 


52        THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

(a)  Certainly  not  the  world's.  For  the  world  is 
quite  swift  enough  to  detect  its  own  merits.  No  Holy 
Spirit  does  it  need  to  convince  it  of  its  own  virtues.  A 
very  Narcissus  it  is,  seeing  everywhere  the  reflection  of 
its  own  beauties  and  worshipping  itself.  But  let  us 
look  at  this  matter  a  little  more  deeply,  noting  what 
the  world's  conception  of  righteousness  really  is.  The 
clearest  and  loftiest  phase  of  righteousness  among  an 
educated,  thinking  people  will  be  found,  one  would 
suppose,  in  the  object  selected  as  the  main  purpose  or 
end  of  life.  What  then  is  the  object  which  we  Ameri- 
cans set  before  ourselves  as  the  goal  of  life?  Is  it 
righteousness — clearly  and  distinctively  righteousness? 
Or  is  it  something  less  unworldly,  to  which  righteous- 
ness is  made  tributary  in  way  of  means  to  end  ?  Is 
not  success  the  principal  thing  which  we  Americans  set 
before  us,  the  grand  motto  which  we  give  our  children 
when  we  send  them  forth  into  the  world ; — success  in 
trade,  in  politics,  in  literature,  in  society?  True,  we 
admire  and  value  righteousness.  But  why  do  we  ad- 
mire it?  Because  it  is  righteousness?  Or  because,  in 
a  civilized,  well-ordered  community,  righteousness  is 
one  of  the  conditions  of  success  ?  Do  we  not,  practi- 
cally speaking,  secretly  feel  that  Thomas  Carlyle  has  hit 
the  truth  when  in  his  "  Heroes  and  Hero-Worship  "  he 
virtually  tells  us,  Success  is  virtue;  might  makes  right? 
Let  righteousness  but  stand  in  the  way  of  success,  and 
let  the  choice  lie  between  the  two ;  and  then  see  which 
the  world  will  choose.  Yes,  the  world  crucified,  and, 


THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  53 

were  he  to  return,  would  virtually  crucify  again,  the 
only  absolutely  righteous  One  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

(6)  Whose  then  is  the  righteousness  the  conviction  of 
which  the  Spirit  is  to  bring  to  the  world  ?  Evidently 
Christ's  righteousness.  The  antithesis  is  manifestly 
between  the  world's  sin — "  In  respect  of  sin,  because 
they  believe  not  on  me  " — and  Christ's  righteousness — 
"  In  respect  of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  the  Fa- 
ther, and  ye  behold  me  no  more."  But  what  part  or 
element  of  Christ's  righteousness  is  the  righteousness  of 
which  he  here  speaks?  Evidently,  righteousness  in 
the  general,  complete  sense  of  the  word ; — the  sum 
total  of  all  that  God  requires ;  the  righteousness  of  a 
perfect  character.  In  other  words,  the  righteousness  of 
which  the  Lord  here  speaks  is  the  righteousness  which 
was  incarnated  in  his  own  blessed  person  and  career 
and  character  and  work.  And  of  this  righteousness 
Christ's  departure  and  present  invisibility  are  both  the 
illustration  and  the  proof :  "  Of  righteousness,  because 
I  go  to  the  Father,  and  ye  behold  me  no  more." 

2.  "Because  I  go  to  the  Father."  This  going  to  the 
Father  involves  several  profound  things.  First,  it  in- 
volves Christ's  own  death.  We  ourselves  often  speak 
in  a  similar  way :  for  example,  we  speak  of  a  dying 
saint  as  one  who  is  going  home,  and,  when  the  last 
throe  is  over,  we  exclaim,  "  Home  at  last ! "  And  why 
did  Jesus  Christ  die,  and  so  go  home?  Just  because 
he  was  righteous,  and  lived  in  a  world  which  did  not 
believe  on  him.  His  very  righteousness  crucified  him. 


54        THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

Again :  This  going  to  the  Father  involves  Christ's 
resurrection.  And  why  was  Jesus  Christ  raised  from 
the  dead  ?  Just  because  he  was  righteous  :  he  was  de- 
clared to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power  by  his  resur- 
rection from  the  dead  (Rom.  1:4).  What  though  his 
own  righteousness  had  slain  him  ?  His  own  righteous- 
ness also  raised  him.  Once  more  :  This  going  to  the 
Father  involves  Christ's  ascension  and  heavenly  en- 
thronement. And  why  was  Jesus  Christ  exalted  to  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high  ?  Just  because  he 
was  righteous ;  his  exaltation  being  the  reward  of  his 
incarnate  obedience.  Listen  to  a  classic  paragraph,  the 
pivotal  word  of  which  is  the  conjunction  "  wherefore:" — 

Christ  Jesus,  existing  in  the  form  of  God,  counted  not  the  being 
on  an  equality  with  God  a  thing  to  be  grasped,  but  emptied  himself, 
taking  the  form  of  a  servant,  being  made  in  the  likenesss  of  men; 
and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  becoming 
obedient  even  unto  death,  yea,  the  death  of  the  cross  :  WHEREFORE 
also  God  highly  exalted  him,  and  gave  unto  him  the  name  which  is 
above  every  name ;  that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
bow,  of  things  in  heaven  and  things  on  earth  and  things  under  the 
earth,  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father. — Philippians  2 :  6-11. 

What  though  Christ's  very  righteousness  had  cruci- 
fied him  ?  Christ's  very  righteousness  also  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  and  exalted  him  to  the  right  hand  of 
the  Father  Almighty.  Thus  Christ's  going  to  the  Fa- 
ther was  both  a  revelation  and  a  demonstration  of 
Christ's  righteousness. 

3.  "And  ye  no  longer  behold  me."     Why  did  not  the 


THE   SPIRIT'S   THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  55 

risen  Lord  remain  on  earth  ?  Why  is  he  not  here  now, 
to  be  a  terror  to  his  foes,  a  comfort  to  his  friends  ? 
We  behold  him  no  more  in  order  that  we  may  the  bet- 
ter understand  what  righteousness  truly  is.  For  right- 
eousness is  not  a  bulk — so  many  inches  cubic ;  not  a 
weight — so  many  pounds  avoirdupois.  Righteousness 
is  a  quality,  a  character.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons 
why  it  was  expedient  for  us  that  Jesus  should  go  away 
and  the  Paraclete  come ;  such  an  exchange  gave  us  a 
universal  and  spiritual  Saviour  instead  of  a  local  and 
bodily  one. 

Thomas,  because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast  believed  :  blessed 
are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed. — John  20 :  29. 

In  other  words,  the  visible  Jesus  gives  way  to  the  in- 
visible Christ,  in  order  that  we  may  the  more  easily 
discern  and  perfectly  appreciate  what  righteousness  truly 
is :  "  Of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  the  Father,  and 
ye  behold  me  no  more." 

4.  And  of  this  righteousness  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
sole  convicter  :  "  When  he  is  come,  he  will  convict  the 
world  in  respect  of  righteousness."  And  precisely  here 
it  is  that  the  world  needs  conviction.  What  its  con- 
ception of  righteousness  is  we  have  already  seen.  It 
may  also  be  admitted  that  the  world  does  in  a  certain 
sense  admire  Christ's  character.  Few  eulogies  are  more 
eloquent,  so  far  as  language  goes,  than  the  eulogies 
which  eminent  unbelievers  have  pronounced  on  the 
Nazarene.  But  admiration  is  one  thing :  loyalty  is 


56         THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

another  thing.  There  is  a  tremendous  difference  be- 
tween aesthetic  admiration  and  practical  devotion ;  be- 
tween assent  to  Christ's  teaching  and  consent  with 
Christ's  character.  And  what  the  world  needs  is  to 
have  such  a  profound  conviction  of  Christ's  personal) 
conspicuous,  distinctive  righteousness  as  to  yearn  for  it, 
crying,  O  Jehovah,  be  thou  my  righteousness  (Jer. 
22 :  6).  And  this  conviction  no  power  but  the  Para- 
clete can  effect.  Conscience  cannot  do  it :  all  that  con- 
science can  do  is  to  reproach  and  terrify;  conscience 
brings  us  no  divine  pardoner,  justifier,  redeemer.  The 
Bible  cannot  do  it :  all  that  the  Bible  can  do  is  to  set 
before  us  right  and  wrong,  heaven  and  hell ;  the  Bible 
plants  in  our  hearts  no  Lord  our  Righteousness.  The 
means  of  grace — Sundays,  preaching,  sacraments,  prayer 
— cannot  do  it :  all  that  the  means  of  grace  can  do  is  to 
acquaint  us  with  duty ;  means  of  grace  do  not  make  us 
actual  sharers  in  Christ's  righteousness.  Only  one 
power  can  do  it :  it  is  the  promised  Paraclete.  Listen 
to  St.  Paul  :— 

I  give  you  to  understand,  that  no  man  speaking  in  the  Spirit  of 
God  saith,  Jesus  is  anathema :  and  no  man  can  say,  Jesus  is  Lord, 
but  in  the  Holy  Spirit.—!  Cor.  12  :  3. 

When  Jesus  was  in  the  region  of  Csesarea  Philippi, 
he  asked  his  disciples,  saying : 

Who  do  men  say  that  I  the  Son  of  man  am  ?  Peter  answered  and 
said,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Jesus  an- 
swered and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-Jonah :  tor 
flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  who 
is  in  heaven. — Matthew  16  :  13-17. 


THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  57 

No ;  neither  civilization,  nor  education,  nor  philoso- 
phy, nor  Sunday-school,  nor  preaching,  nor  revival  ef- 
fort, nor  Bible,  can  convict  us  of  righteousness.  No 
power  can  effect  this  but  the  Holy  Spirit  :  "  When  he 
is  come,  he  will  convict  the  world  concerning  righteous- 
ness, because  I  go  to  the  Father,  and  ye  behold  me  no 
more." 

III.  The  Spirit's  Conviction  of  Judgment. — But  what 
avails  it  to  be  convicted  of  righteousness,  unless  at  the 
same  time  we  are  convicted  that  righteousness  will  be 
victorious?  And  so  we  pass,  thirdly,  to  the  Spirit's 
conviction  of  Judgment :  "  When  he  is  come,  he  will 
convict  the  world  in  respect  of  judgment,  because  the 
prince  of  this  world  hath  been  judged." 

1.  "  The  prince  of  this  world"  If  you  ask  me  why 
Satan  was  allowed  to  enter  this  world  and  usurp  its 
throne,  my  only  answer  is  this :  I  do  not  know.  Here 
is  one  of  those  secret  things  which  belong  to  Jehovah 
our  God  (Deut.  29:  29).  Where  Holy  Scripture  is 
silent,  there  let  me  be  silent  also.  Of  one  thing,  how- 
ever, I  am  only  too  sure.  Satan  is  the  prince  of  this 
world.  A  usurped  principality  though  it  is,  the  princi- 
pality is  nevertheless  his.  See  how  he  lords  it  over 
man's  moral  nature,  as  disclosed  in  the  various  religions 
of  the  world.  Look,  for  example,  at  the  world's  idola- 
tries ;  at  its  Apis,  its  Baal,  its  Dagon,  its  Mithras,  its 
Siva.  Look  at  the  Greek  and  Roman  mythologies  : 

"  Gay  religions  full  of  pomp  and  gold, 
And  devils  to  adore  for  deities." — John  Milton. 


58         THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

Or,  to  keep  within  our  own  land,  look  at  the  idola- 
try of  second  causes,  the  worship  of  antecedent  and  con- 
sequent, the  adoration  of  the  powers  of  nature.  What 
is  materialism  but  a  sort  of  sublimated  fetichism  ?  Ay, 
it  is  to  these  and  such  as  these  that  cultivated  Americans 
shout,  "  These  be  thy  gods,  O  Israel,  which  brought 
thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  (Exodus  32  :  4). 
Again  :  See  how  Satan  lords  it  over  man's  psychical  na- 
ture— over  the  capacities  and  affections  and  desires  of 
men,  instigating  to  all  passions  of  pride  and  selfish- 
ness and  ambition  and  hate  and  lust.  Once  more  :  See 
how  Satan  lords  it  over  man's  bodily  nature,  driving  his 
thorns  in  the  flesh  to  buffet  us ;  bringing  disease  and 
pain  and  death  and  grave.  In  fine,  look  at  this  world 
as  it  actually  is ;  its  crimes,  frauds,  robberies,  hates,  false- 
hoods, perfidies,  oppressions,  cruelties,  sensualities,  blas- 
phemies ;  its  griefs  and  woes  and  deaths :  look  at  all 
these  and  similar  instigations  and  works  of  the  devil,  and 
tell  me,  Is  not  Satan  the  prince  of  this  world  ?  Aye, 

"  The  trail  of  the  serpent  is  over  them  all." — Thomas  Moore. 

2.  But  is  this  to  be  so  always  ?  God  be  praised,  no  ! 
for  the  prince  of  this  world  hath  been  judged.  To  us 
indeed  Christ's  judgment  of  Satan  seems  to  be  a  process 
still  going  on.  But  this  is  only  because  we  are  finite  : 
for  this  idea  of  process,  or  succession  in  time,  is  one  of 
the  tokens  of  human  weakness.  But  to  the  eye  of  the 
Son  of  God  the  overthrow  of  Satan  was  a  single  act,  and 
an  act  already  accomplished.  In  like  manner,  on  the 


THE   SPIRIT'S   THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  59 

return  of  the  Seventy,  he  had  exclaimed,  "  I  .beheld 
Satan  fallen  as  lightning  from  heaven."  (Luke  10:  17). 
To  his  piercing  vision  he  had  already  seen  Satan  fall- 
ing— a  fall  sudden,  swift,  flashing,  profound,  as  the 
thunderbolt.  But  how  was  this  judgment  on  Satan 
effected? 

(a)  To  answer,  first,  in  a  general  way :  it  was  effected 
by  the  incarnation.  To  this  end  was  the  Son  of  God  man- 
ifested, that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil 
(1  John  3  :  8).  The  incarnation  itself  was  a  judgment. 
Accordingly,  Milton,  in  the  burst  of  a  true  poet's  in- 
spiration, represents  the  downfall  of  Satan's  empire  and 
the  birth  of  Bethlehem's  Babe  as  simultaneous  : 

"  From  this  happy  day 
The  old  dragon,  underground, 
In  straiter  limits  bound, 

Not  half  so  far  casts  his  usurped  sway : 
And,  wroth  to  see  his  kingdom  fail, 
Swindges  the  scaly  horror  of  his  folded  tail." 

— Hymn  on  the  Nativity. 

(6)  But  to  give  a  more  particular  answer  :  Satan  was 
judged  by  Christ's  own  death.  Accordingly,  a  few  days 
before,  Jesus  exclaimed  :  ' '  The  hour  is  come,  that  the 
Son  of  man  should  be  glorified.  .  .  .  Now  is  the  judg- 
ment of  this  world  ;  now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world 
be  cast  out :  and  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth, 
will  draw  all  men  unto  myself.  This  he  said,  signi- 
fying by  what  manner  of  death  he  should  die  "  (John 
12:28-33). 


60         THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

Observe  the  sharp  contrasts  :  On  the  one  hand,  the 
prince  of  this  world ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  Son  of 
man :  On  the  one  hand,  the  prince  of  this  wprld  cast 
out ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  Son  of  man  casting  him 
out.  Observe,  also,  the  significant  notation  of  time : 
"  The  hour  is  now  come ;  now  is  the  judgment  of 
this  world ;  now  shall  the  prince  of  the  world  be  cast 
out."  It  is  as  though  the  Lord  had  said  :  "  Now  is 
the  crisis  of  this  world  :  in  the  lifting  up  of  myself 
on  the  cross  it  is  about  to  appear  whether  this  world 
belongs  to  Satan  or  to  the  Son  of  man  ;  whether  he 
is  its  prince  or  I.  We  know  how  the  crisis  was  de- 
cided. Messiah's  heel,  bruised  for  the  moment  on 
Golgotha,  in  the  very  fact  of  its  being  bruised,  crushed 
eternally  the  dragon's  head  (Gen.  3  :  15).  And  so 
"  crisis  "  swept  into  "judgment."  The  prince  of  the 
world  was  judged ;  and  so  condemned.  The  Son  of 
God,  through  his  own  death,  brought  to  nought  him 
who  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil  (He- 
brews 2  :  14).  Henceforth  the  world  changed  ownership. 
There,  in  the  very  act  of  being  uplifted  from  the 
earth,  while  as  yet  his  life-blood  was  ebbing,  he  de- 
spoiled the  principalities  and  the  powers,  making  a 
show  of  them  openly,  triumphing  over  them,  nail- 
ing them  to  his  cross  (Col.  2  :  14,  15).  The  prince  of 
this  world  was  judged.  And  in  this  act  of  dying  the 
parable  of  the  Stronger  than  the  strong  was  fulfilled  : 

When  the  strong  man,  fully  armed,  guardeth  his  own  court,  his 
goods  are  in  peace ;  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon 


THE  SPIRIT'S   THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  61 

him,  and  overcome  him,  and  bind  him,  he  taketh  from  him  his 
whole  armor,  wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his  spoils. — Luke  xi. 
21-22. 

Thus  the  vision  of  Patmos  was  realized : — 

There  was  war  in  heaven  :  Michael  and  his  angels  going  forth  to 
war  with  the  dragon  ;  and  the  dragon  warred  and  his  angels ;  and 
they  prevailed  not,  neither  was  their  place  found  any  more  in 
heaven ;  and  the  great  dragon  was  cast  down,  the  old  serpent,  he 
that  is  called  the  Devil  and  Satan,  the  deceiver  of  the  whole  world ; 
he  was  cast  down  to  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  down  with 
him.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  in  heaven,  saying,  Now  is  come 
the  salvation,  and  the  power,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the 
authority  of  his  Christ :  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast 
down,  who  accuseth  them  before  our  God  day  and  night.  And  they 
overcame  because  of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  because  of  the 
word  of  their  testimony  ;  and  they  loved  not  their  life  even  unto 
death.  Therefore  rejoice,  O  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in  them. — 
Eev.  12 :  7-12. 

Thus  the  last  book  of  the  Bible  declares  fulfilled  the 
doom  which  the  first  book  of  the  Bible  pronounced  on 
Satan  while  yet  in  Eden  : — 

I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy 
seed  and  her  seed  ;  he  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise 
his  heel. — Genesis  3  :  1-5. 

3.  And  this  judgment  on  Satan  is  a  judgment  of 
which  the  world  needs  to  be  convicted  :  and  this,  not 
merely  in  way  of  intellectual  apprehension,  but,  espe- 
cially and  emphatically,  in  way  of  moral  conviction. 

(a)  Thus  each  Christian  needs]this  conviction  for  him- 
self. For  he  is  exposed  to  a  thousand  discouragements : 


62        THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

for  example,  the  sense  of  infirmity,  the  enigma  of  de- 
lays and  disappointments  and  adversities,  the  pre- 
valence of  iniquity,  the  enmity  of  Satan  himself.  Verily 
he  does  not  yet  see  all  things  subjected  to  Jesus  Christ 
(Heb.  2 :  8).  Hence  he  needs  the  saving  power  of 
hope  (Rom.  8 :  24).  He  needs  the  conviction  that 
Christ's  grace  within  him  is  omnipotent ;  that  the  life 
in  Jesus  will  not  be  a  failure ;  that  the  Christian's  vic- 
tory, if  he  holds  steadfast,  is  a  matter  of  certainty.  It 
is  not  enough  then,  that  he  has  it  as  a  theological  ar- 
ticle that  Satan  has  been  judged  :  what  he  needs  is  to 
have  this  fact  inwrought  as  a  moral  conviction  into  the 
depths  of  his  own  experience  and  consciousness. 
What  he  needs  is  to  be  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  which  is  an  earnest  of  our  inheritance  unto 
the  redemption  of  God's  own  possession,  unto  the  praise 
of  his  glory  (Eph.  1 :  14). 

(6)  And  as  each  Christian  needs  this  conviction  for 
himself  in  order  to  his  own  salvation  and  victory,  so  does 
the  Church  of  the  Lamb  need  it  in  order  to  her  own 
going  forth  and  battling  under  inspiration  of  assured 
triumph.  What  she  needs  is  the  certain  conviction 
that  the  Church's  triumph  is  a  foregone  conclusion  in 
the  divine  mind ;  that  in  virtue  of  her  joint-heir- 
ship  with  Jesus  Christ  (Rom.  8  :  17),  the  appointed 
heir  of  all  things  (Heb.  1  :  3),  she  will  share  his  sover- 
eignty, even  already  owning  this  world  by  a  sort  of  re- 
versionary right ;  that  the  kingdom  and  dominion  and 
the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven 


THE  SPIRIT'S   THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  63 

shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High  (Daniel  7  :  27).  What  she  needs  is  the  absolute 
conviction  that  the  prince  of  this  world  has  been 
judged. 

4.  But  how  shall  this  conviction  be  wrought  ?  By 
no  power  less  than  the  Holy  Spirit.  When  he  is  come, 
he  will  convict  the  world  concerning  judgment,  because 
the  prince  of  this  world  has  been  judged.  Conscience 
cannot  work  this  conviction  :  all  that  conscience  can  do 
is  to  make  us  aware  that  we  are  under  Satan's  power. 
Neither  can  philosophy  work  this  conviction :  all  that 
philosophy  does  is  to  try  to  make  us  believe  that  there 
is  not,  and  never  has  been,  any  Satan  at  all ;  that  hell 
is  only  the  obverse  side  of  heaven,  or  "  heaven  seen  in 
a  side-light."  The  philosopher  does,  indeed,  talk  of  a 
golden  age.  But  what  kind  of  a  golden  age  is  it  ?  An 
age  when  all  that  is  now  anomalous  and  discordant  and 
monstrous  shall  give  way  to  universal  law  and  order 
and  beauty ;  in  brief,  when  the  pworld  shall  develop 
into  a  Godless  paradise,  from  which  Satan  and  Jesus 
shall  be  alike  aliens.  Whereas  the  true  Golden  Age  is 
when  the  reign  of  Satan  shall  be  confessedly  supplanted 
by  the  reign  of  Jesus  ;  when  the  whole  earth  shall  be- 
come the  paradise  of  his  grace  ;  when  his  righteousness, 
permeating  all  life,  spiritual,  mental,  emotional,  cor- 
poreal, shall  mantle  the  world  from  pole  to  pole,  and 
his  infinite  beauty  girdle  it  as  with  a  celestial  zone. 
And  the  conviction  that  this  shall  be  the  final  issue  can 
be  wrought  by  no  power  but  the  Holy  Paraclete.  No 


64        THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD  CONVICTION. 

man  can  say,  Jesus  is  Lord,  but  in  the  Holy  Spirit 
(1  Cor.  12 :  3).  Nor  are  signs  wanting  that  the  final 
rout  of  the  powers  of  darkness  is  approaching.  In  this 
mustering  of  the  anti-Christian  forces  under  the  mar- 
shalship  of  unbelief;  in  this  hurrying  to  and  fro  of 
principalities  and  powers  ;  in  these  commingling  banners 
and  gleaming  spears  and  trumpet-clangs ;  in  the  very  fact 
of  this  Convention  being  summoned  to  ponder  the  office 
of  the  blessed  Paraclete  ;  in  all  this  I  think  we  are  per- 
mitted to  read  signs  that  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise 
Satan  under  our  feet  shortly  (Rom.  16 :  20). 

Such  is  the  Lord's  promise  of  the  Spirit's  threefold 
Conviction. 

Review. — In  reviewing  our  paragraph,  observe  the 
order  of  the  Spirit's  process.  The  first  thing  that  we 
sinners  need  is  to  be  convicted  of  sin.  To  whom  little 
is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth  little  (Luke  7  :  47).  No 
sense  of  sin,  no  conscious  need  of  Saviour.  But  vain 
is  the  Spirit's  conviction  of  sin,  unless  at  the  same  time 
he  convicts  us  concerning  Christ's  righteousness,  and 
that  his  righteousness  may  become  ours.  This,  in  fact, 
is  a  frequent  trouble  with  a  convicted  sinner.  Jesus 
Christ  seems  to  him  a  distant,  intangible  abstraction,  a 
glittering  phantom,  a  veritable  ignis  fatuus  receding 
as  he  advances.  It  is  needful  then  that  the  Spirit 
should  show  us  to  ourselves;  it  is  no  less  needful  that 
the  Spirit  should  also  show  to  us  Jesus  Christ.  But 
vain  is  the  Spirit's  conviction  of  righteousness,  unless 
at  the  same  time  he  convicts  us  concerning  the  certain 


THE  SPIRIT'S  THREEFOLD   CONVICTION.  65 

victory  of  righteousness  over  sin ;  the  righteousness  be- 
ing in  fact  the  stately  bridge  whereon  we  pass  from  the 
devil's  bondage  to  the  Christian's  victory.  And  to  be 
convicted  of  these  three  things — sin,  righteousness, 
judgment — as  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  shows  them  to  us, 
is  to  know  the  essence  of  Christianity,  nay,  to  enter 
into  the  possession  of  it.  Verily,  it  was  expedient  for 
us  that  Jesus  should  go  away,  that  so  the  Paraclete 
might  come  (John  16:7). 

5 


VI. 

ADDRESS. 

BY  REV.    M.   D.    BABCOCK. 

ONE  of  the  most  conspicuous  marks  of  the  believer 
who  has  heard  and  obeyed  the  words :  "  Be 
filled  with  the  Spirit,"  is  the  spontaneity  of  Christian 
life  and  service.  The  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
makes  the  difference  between  the  positive  and  the  neg- 
ative Christian — between  the  one  able  to  give  and  the 
one  who  can  only  receive — between  the  one  bearing 
much  fruit  and  the  one  with  little  else  than  leaves. 
There  are  Christians  whose  testimony  can  be  extracted 
from  them,  but  it  is  a  painful,  and  sometimes  perilous 
operation.  There  are  Christians  who  cannot  help  but 
testify — whose  words,  whose  deeds,  whose  methods, 
whose  manners  tell  plainly  whose  they  are  and  whom 
they  serve.  The  difference  is  the  indwelling  Spirit. 
We  can  hardly  discern  the  light  of  some  who  profess 
and  call  themselves  Christians.  The  very  shadow  of 
others  has  healing  and  blessing  in  it. 

It  is  the  difference  between  the  disciple  in  the  dark 

at   the   world's  fire,  away  from  his  Master,  disowning 

and  disgracing  him,  and    the   Apostle    filled  with  the 

Holy  Ghost,  following  in  the  Master's  footsteps,  speak- 

66 


ADDRESS   BY    REV.   M.    D.    BABCOCK.  67 

ing  fearlessly  for  him,  dying,  but  not  denying.  It  is 
the  difference  between  Sinai  and  Calvary ;  between  the 
whip  of  conscience  and  the  cords  of  love ;  between 
fear  and  faith ;  between  reluctance  and  readiness ;  be- 
tween "  must  I  ?  "  and  "  may  I  ?  " 

The  Christian  who  claims  the  promise  and  realizes 
the  possibility  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  abiding  presence, 
can  prove  all  this  to  himself  and  others.  What  is 
it  but  the  fulfillment  of  Christ's  words :  "  He  that 
believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his 
belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water  ?  "  "  But  this 
spake  he  of  the  Spirit  whom  they  that  believe  on  him 
should  receive." 

Receiving  the  Spirit,  welcoming  the  Spirit,  and  then 
what  ?  Spontaneity  !  "  Rivers — living  waters — Flow- 
ing ! "  Not  wells  from  which  water  can  be  pumped, 
but  springs  that  flow  by  their  own  force  and  freedom. 
Not  old  accumulated  stagnant  experience,  but  new  life, 
new  love,  new  testimony,  "  a  new  song  "  every  day. 
Not  a  Christian  who  can  be  goaded  into  speaking  a 
word  for  his  Lord,  but  one  who  loves  to  speak — who 
witnesses  because  he  cannot  help  it — who  sings,  "  "Pis 
joy,  not  duty,  to  speak  his  beauty  ;  "  whose  heart  keeps 
overflowing  because  fed  from  an  unfailing  fountain. 

"  Shall  flow !  "  Spiritual  spontaneity.  Its  finest  issue 
is  the  Christian's  unconscious  power — his  unrealized 
influence.  Nothing  in  our  life  is  so  subtle,  yet  so 
immeasurably  potent.  It  depends  utterly  on  the  abid- 
ing presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  direct  our  unplanned 


68  ADDRESS  BY   REV.   M.  D.   BABCOCK. 

words— our  tinthought  deeds ;  to  develop  the  Christ  life 
within  us,  aud  to  bring  out — we  know  not  how — the 
likeness  of  our  Lord  in  us. 

Christian  art  represents  Jesus  and  the  holiest  of  his 
followers  with  a  circle  of  light  about  their  heads,  like 
the  shining  of  the  face  of  Moses,  though  he  wist  not  that 
it  was  shining. 

So  about  the  person,  radiating  from  the  life  of  the 
Christian,  in  whose  heart  the  Spirit  abides,  there  is  that 
unmistakable  atmosphere  of  light — that  evident  mind  of 
Christ — that  divine  something  we  call  unconscious 
Christian  influence  which  undermines  the  unbeliever's 
doubts,  which  confirms  his  half  realized  convictions. 
He  cannot  account  for  it,  except  by  acknowledging  that 
this  man  has  been  with  Jesus. 

It  is  the  final  test  of  genuineness — the  fragrance  of 
the  flower — the  flavor  of  the  fruit.  It  is  vital,  not  arti- 
ficial— spiritual,  not  mechanical.  It  is  the  product  of 
living, — the  aroma,  the  aureola  that  tells  that  here  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwells. 

Said  a  famous  English  courtier,  of  who  was  for  a 
time  in  the  home  of  Fenelon,  "  If  I  stay  here  longer 
this  man  will  make  a  Christian  of  me  in  spite  of  my- 
self." This  is  the  outflow  of  spiritual  life.  This  is  the 
fulfilled  promise — "  rivers  of  living  waters."  This  is 
the  life  that  men  cannot  question — the  power  they 
cannot  escape — the  testimony  they  cannot  gainsay. 
Would  you  then  witness  for  God  even  when  you  did 
not  know  you  were  seen  or  heard — unconsciously  "  set- 


ADDRESS   BY   REV.    M.    D.    EABCOCK.  69 

ting  to  your  seal  that  God  is  true  ? "  Would  you  so 
live  that  men  and  women,  yes,  and  children,  will  find 
it  easier  to  do  right  when  you  are  with  them  and  harder 
to  do  wrong  when  you  are  with  them  ?  Open  your 
heart  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  Obey  the  words,  "  Be  filled 
with  the  Spirit." 

Do  you  say  this  is  not  for  me  ?  You  are  mistaken.  It 
is  not  the  exalted  privilege  of  the  exceptional  Christian. 
It  is  the  plain  duty  of  the  every-day  Christian.  It  is  not 
a  question  of  natural  endowment,  but  of  spiritual  endue- 
ment ;  not  a  question  of  birth  and  education,  but  of 
willingness,  of  plain  obedience.  "Be  filled  with  the 
Spirit."  Are  you  willing  to  obey,  to  say,  "  Holy  Spirit 
come  into  my  heart — show  me  everything  that  is  wrong, 
cast  out  every  idol,  possess  me  wholly,  teach  me,  lead 
me,  use  me,  as  thou  wilt  ?  "  Are  you  willing  to  offer, 
nay,  to  urge  that  prayer  till  it  is  answered  and  take  the 
consequences  ? 


VII. 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP. 

BY  W.  J.  ERDMAN,   ASHEVILLE,   N.   C. 

characteristic  name  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  three 
J-     epistles  of  Paul,  is  "  the  Spirit  of  adoption." 

The  title  of  this  address  is,  however,  "  the  Spirit  of 
Sonship,"  for  the  word  "adoption"  in  common  use 
does  not  express  the  full  truth  of  the  Sonship  of  be- 
lievers in  Christ.  The  word  is  found  only  in  Rom.  8  : 
15,  23 ;  9 :  4  ;  Gal.  4  :  5,  Eph.  1:5.  It  signifies  the 
placing  in  the  state  of  a  Son,  of  one  already  a  child  in 
the  family ;  it  is  a  name  contrasting  the  condition  of  a 
child  who  has  attained  his  majority  with  that  of  one 
who  is  a  minor.  Christians  do  not  enter  twice  into  the 
family  of  God,  once  by  being  born  again  and  a  second 
time  by  adoption  understood  in  its  usual  sense.  "  Son- 
ship  "  relates  not  to  nature,  but  to  legal  standing ;  it 
comes  not  through  regeneration,  but  through  redemp- 
tion ;  for  it  believers  in  God  in  olden  time  and  the  dis- 
ciples of  Christ  had  to  wait  until  the  Son  of  God  re- 
deemed them ;  and  then  the  Spirit  of  God  was  poured 
out  at  Pentecost,  not  to  make  believers  Sons,  but  be- 
cause they  had  become  Sons  through  redemption ;  once 
though  children  they  were  minors,  now  they  became 
70 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP.  71 

Sons,  and  received  the  Spirit  of  Sonship.  In  brief, 
Sonship,  though  ever  since  redemption  inseparable 
from  justification,  does  in  the  order  of  salvation  suc- 
ceed justification.  In  Rom.  5  :  1  justification  precedes 
the  "  grace "  of  Sonship  in  5  :  2.  The  "  access "  or 
"  introduction  "  is  of  the  justified  into  the  presence  of 
God  as  Father ;  and  it  is  through  Christ  and  by  the 
Spirit.  Compare  "  access  "  in  Rom.  5  :  2,  Eph.  2 :  18, 
3:  12.  All  this  truth  is  obscured  by  the  inconsistent 
renderings  of  the  Authorized  Version,  which  translates 
in  Eph.  1  :  5,  " adoption  of  children"  and  in  the 
other  passages  "  adoption  of  sons."  "  Children  "  is  not 
the  equivalent  of  "  Sons  "  in  these  scriptures. 

The  importance  too  of  this  discrimination  is  to  be 
magnified  because  many  Christians,  by  calling  them- 
selves only  "  children  of  God,"  remain  ignorant  of  the 
distinctive  high  dignity  to  which  they  are  called  and  in 
which  they  now  stand  as  Sons  of  God. 

As  a  proof  of  these  statements,  the  following  facts 
may  be  considered : 

I.  The  gifts  and  acts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  alike 
in  kind  before  and  after  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

The  Spirit  was  in  the  world  when  John  the  Baptist 
announced  the  future  baptism.  He  himself  was  full  of 
the  Spirit.  And  of  old  the  Spirit  was  the  author  of  all 
spiritual  life  and  power,  Ps.  143  :  10  •.  and  gifts  of 
wisdom  and  government,  of  teaching  and  preaching; 
the  working  of  miracles  and  the  conviction  of  sinners, 
Micah  3  :  8,  all  betokened  the  presence  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  old  dispensation. 


72  THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP. 

What  then  was  meant  by  the  promise  of  John  and  of 
Jesus? 

II.  In  the  heart  of  the   prophetic  Scriptures  five 
promises  of  a  future  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  found, 
and  these  are  repeated  in  substance  and  in  literal  phrase 
by  the  Lord  Jesus. 

1 .  The  Spirit  was  to  be  "  poured  on  all  flesh,"  Joel 
2:  28-29,  Acts  2:  33;  2.  To  be  "poured  on  all 
thirsty,"  Is.  44 :  3,  John  7  :  37-39 ;  3.  To  be  "  poured 
from  on  high,"  Is.  32:  15,  Luke  24:  49;  that  "from 
on  high "  contained  the  whole  mystery  of  a  suffering 
and  exalted  Messiah,  for  sin  must  first  be  put  away, 
captivity  led  captive  before  the  Gift  could  be  bestowed ; 
the  Chrism  of  glory  could  come  only  from  the  pierced 
hands  of  the  glorified  Christ ;  the  Rock  must  first  be 
smitten  before  the  Water  could  flow ;  4.  To  be  "  with- 
in "  believers  in  a  more  permanent  and  interior  dwell- 
ing, Ezek.  36:  27,  John  14:  17,  23;  5.  To  be  "for- 
ever" with  them  ;  Is.  56  :  21,  John  14  :  16. 

In  these  passages  the  "  pouring,"  and  "  on  all  flesh," 
and  the  "  from  on  high  "  and  other  phrases  are  all  in 
significant  contrast,  and  mark  a  difference  between  the 
Old  and  the  New  Dispensation. 

The  unfulfilled  context  of  these  predictions  also 
prove  the  promises  themselves  await  a  future  and  ex- 
haustive fulfilment  in  the  experience  of  Israel,  whom 
God  has  not  forever  cast  away,  Rom.  11 :  1,  2,  12, 15, 
25,  26. 

III.  But  it  is  as  the  Spirit  of  Sonship  that  the  Gift 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP.  73 

receives  the  characteristic  name.  He  was  to  be  given 
more  abundantly,  "  poured ; "  but  specifically  unto  be- 
lievers as  redeemed  Sons  of  God,  unto  children  who  had 
attained  their  majority,  and  as  heirs  now  entitled  to  re- 
ceive the  inheritance,  and  who  do  now  receive  the 
Spirit  of  Sonship  as  the  first  fruits  and  earnest  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  Son  of  God. 

It  is  this  marvellous  dignity  of  a  Sonship  in  glory 
like  that  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  with  all  its  attendant 
blessings  and  privileges,  service  and  rewards,  sufferings 
and  glories,  that  imparts  to  the  Pentecostal  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  its  peculiar  character  and  distinguishes  it 
from  all  previous  bestowments  in  the  old  dispensation. 

The  minors,  i.e.,  the  word  "  children,"  in  Gal.  4 : 
1-7,  are  now  of  full  age ;  the  "born  ones,"  the  bairns, 
words  significant  of  nature,  kind,  kin,  in  the  writings 
of  John,  1  :  12-13,  I.  3:  1-3,  rather  than  of  dignity 
and  office,  are  now  Sons  of  God ;  the  new  name 
"Father,"  the  Son  of  God,  came  to  declare,  John  17  : 
26,  was  now  made  known  in  inseparable  association 
with  the  new  name  "brethren,"  John  20:  17,  and  the 
inspired  interval  of  silence  between  Ps.  22  :  21  and  the 
remaining  part,  in  which  interval  came  the  death, 
burial  and  resurrection  of  Jesus,  is  now  broken  by  the 
rapturous  greeting  of  "the  first-born  of  many  breth- 
ren," Rom.  8  :  29.  "  Go  to  my  brethren  and  say  unto 
them  I  ascend  unto  my  Father  and  your  Father,  and 
to  my  God  and  your  God."  John  20:  17.  Not  before 
redemption  had  been  accomplished  and  confirmed  by 


74  THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP. 

resurrection  could  Jesus  call  his  disciples  "  Brethren," 
and  not  until  the  Spirit  of  Sonship  had  been  given 
could  they  say  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

The  mighty  Breath  of  Pentecost  symbolized  by  the 
breathing  of  Jesus  upon  his  disciples  on  the  evening  of 
his  resurrection  foretold  their  service  not  as  servants 
merely,  but  as  Sons. 

The  pouring  of  the  One  Gift  was  not  only  for  acts  of 
service  (and  acts  imply  "  power  ")  but  also  for  "  renew- 
ing," Titus  3 :  5-6 ;  (the  pouring  on  Paul  and  Titus 
was  not  at  Pentecost,  yet  the  same  word  poured  is  used, 
so  pointing  back  to  Pentecost  as  the  time  when  the  Spirit 
was  given  once  for  all  to  dwell  with  the  Church) ;  the 
Spirit  was  evermore  to  deepen  and  develop  their  spir- 
itual life  and  nature  as  children  and  Sons,  to  manifest 
the  life  eternal  as  light  and  love,  the  life  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son  lived  and  developed  in  this  relationship  of 
Sons  of  God,  and  also  to  equip  them  for  ministry  with 
manifold  gifts. 

To  each  He  was  given  for  life  eternal ;  and  all  as 
one  Body,  as  one  Son  (Galat.  3  :  28 ;  "  Ye  are  all  one 
Son  in  Christ  Jesus ;  "  see  3  :  26  also  where  "  chil- 
dren "  should  be  translated  Sons),  were  baptized  by  the 
One  Spirit,  and  so  incorporated  as  "  The  Christ,"  1 
Cor.  12 :  12-13,  "  the  Son  of  God,  the  perfect  Man," 
Eph.  4:  12-13,  the  Heir,  Gal.  3:  16,  19,  the  Seed, 
the  Isaac,  Rom.  4 :  16—25,  the  risen  from  the  dead, 
Rom.  1  :  4,  Philip.  3:  11,  Luke  20:  34-36. 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP.  75 

IV.  The  Spirit  as  uniting  believers  with  the  risen 
and  glorified  Son  of  God  works  in  these  three  depart- 
ments of  Christian  life  and  experience ;  the  work  of 
faith  and  labor  of  love  and  patience  of  hope  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  1  Th.  1 :  3. 

"  The  work  of  faith  "  pertains  to  the  realization  and 
experience  of  salvation  and  its  fruits  in  all  holy  virtues 
and  excellencies,  Phil.  2:  12,  1:  9-11,  but  it  is 
wrought  out  only  by  faith  and  the  indwelling  Spirit  of 
the  Son  of  God,  "  I  in  you,"  John  17  :  26,*Gal.  2 :  20. 

'•  The  labor  of  love  "  pertains  to  all  service  and  toil 
of  ministry  to  fellow  believers  and  to  the  world,  but  it 
is  done  by  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  him  who  is  the 
Vine,  and  said  "  I  will  do  it."  John  15  :  7,  14  :  13. 

"  The  patience  of  hope "  pertains  to  all  the  suffer- 
ings, trials  and  persecutions  endured  by  believers  in  pa- 
tient waiting  for  the  Son  of  God  from  heaven,  1  Th. 
1 :  10,  2  :  12,  2.  Th.  1 :  5-10,  and  the  consummation 
of  Sonship  in  the  redemption  of  the  body,  Eom.  8  :  23, 
19  ;  but  the  patience  is  to  become  a  joy,  1  Pet.  5:  11, 
because  the  sufferings  are  really  those  of  the  Head 
through  the  Body;  "Why  persecutest  thou  Me?" 
Acts  9 :  4-5. 

Jesus  is  indeed  the  Word,  the  Verbum,  the  Verb  of 
life,  service  and  suffering;  the  to  Be,  to  Do,  to  Suffer 
and  infinite  in  all. 

Too  much  has  "the  Church,"  "the  Body  of  Christ," 
lost  this  consciousness  of  oneness  with  the  Son  of  God 
in  glory  ;  too  little  have  Christian  life  and  service  and 


76  THE  SPIRIT  OF  SONSHIP. 

suffering  felt  the  power  and  comfort  of  the  mighty, 
quickening  Spirit  of  God ;  may  this  great  truth  of 
what  we  are  as  Sons  of  God  once  again  become  a  vivid 
reality  to  us  and  in  us,  through  the  indwelling  Spirit  of 
Christ. 


VIII. 

THE  HEAVENLY  UNCTION. 

BY  I,.    W.  B.  MUNHAIJ,,   D.D. 

THE  word  "  Unction  "  occurs  but  once  in  the  author- 
ized version,  1  John  2 :  20.  It  is  from  the  same 
Greek  word  that  is  rendered  "  Anointing  "  in  the  20th 
verse  of  the  same  chapter,  Chrisma.  It  does  not  occur 
in  the  Revised  Version,  but  is  rendered  anointing  uni- 
formly. 

The  word  anoint  usually  means  "  To  smear."  Here, 
however,  "Unction"  or  "Anointing"  means  "Rub- 
bing in."  It  is  the  same  when  Jesus  is  spoken  of  as 
Anointed  for  his  work  and  ministry.  "  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he  anointed  me  to  preach 
good  tidings  to  the  poor,"  etc.  (Luke  4:  18).  "For  of 
a  truth  in  this  city  against  thy  holy  servant  Jesus, 
whom  thou  didst  anoint,"  etc.  (Acts  4 :  27).  "  There- 
fore, God,  thy  God,  hath  anointed  thee,"  etc.  (Heb.  1 : 
9).  The  word  rendered  "Anointed"  and  "Didst 
anoint"  in  those  passages  is  Chrio,  which  signifies 
"  To  rub."  It  is  the  same  where  Paul  said,  "  Now  he 
that  stablisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ,  and  anointed  us, 
is  God  "(2  Cor.  1:21). 

Jesus  said,  "  When  he  is  come  he  will  guide  you  into 

77 


78  THE   HEAVENLY   UNCTION. 

all  truth  ; "  and,  "  Ye  shall  receive  power  (Dunamis) 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon  you ; "  and,  "  But 
tarry  ye  in  the  city  until  ye  be  clothed  with  power 
(Dunamis)  from  on  high. 

On  the  Day  of  Pentecost  the  Holy  Spirit  clothed  the 
Disciples  with  power,  and  imparted  unto  them  knowl- 
edge, so  that  they  were  qualified  to  proclaim  Jesus  and 
the  resurrection  with  ability  and  boldness.  What  they 
received  at  that  time  was  "  Rubbed  in." 

To  what  shall  we  liken  these  things  by  way  of  con- 
trast? Enduement,  is  like  unto  ripening  fruit.  Unc- 
tion, the  mellowing  process  by  which  the  ripe  fruit  is 
made  luscious. 

Euduement  gave  them  knowledge  and  courage.  Unc- 
tion, gentleness,  patience,  meekness,  goodness — all  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  so  that,  while  like  their  Master, 
they  spake  the  word  with  authority  and  boldness,  they 
were  also  like  him  in  temper  and  spirit — loving,  sym- 
pathetic and  of  a  very  great  compassion. 

Since  Christ  received  the  "  Heavenly  Unction," 
and  the  Disciples  were  not  qualified  for  service  and 
testimony  until  they  were  likewise  furnished,  how 
ever  can  we  expect  to  accomplish  anything  to  the 
glory  and  praise  of  him  who  bought  us,  without  like 
furnishing. 

Let  us  see  what  is  the  teaching  of  the  Word.  First, 
John  6:  63  and  15:  5  teach  that  man  is  incapable  of 
doing  anything  acceptable  unto  God  of  himself.  "  Noth- 
ing "  is  the  word  used  in  both  passages  to  indicate  the 


THE   HEAVENLY   UNCTION.  79 

utter  inability  of  the  natural  man  to  quicken  or  bear 
fruit. 

Second,  Eph.  2:  10  and  Phil.  2:  12,  13,  teach  that 
God  has,  nevertheless,  chosen  man  as  the  Agent  through 
and  by  whom  he  accomplishes  his  purposes  in  grace. 
An  evolution  is  here  taught.  Also  an  involution. 
God  works  in  and  then  we  are  to  work  out.  This  is 
the  true  evolution.  Only  God  can  make  something  out 
of  nothing.  "  But  we  have  this  treasure  in  earthen 
vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  God 
and  not  of  us." 

Third.  Is  this  Anointing  for  Disciples  now?  is  it  for 
us?  In  Luke  24  :  49  it  is  denominated  "  The  promise 
of  my  Father,"  and  the  Disciples  were  commanded  to 
"  Tarry  in  the  city,  until  ye  be  clothed  with  power  from 
on  high."  This  promise  was  made  good  to  them  on 
the  Day  of  Pentecost,  and  we  all  know  what  marvel- 
ous results  followed. 

But  some  say  that  this  "  Promise  of  my  Father  "  was 
only  for  that  company  in  that  "  Jerusalem  chamber." 
But,  in  Acts  10  :  45,  46  and  11 :  15  we  learn  that  eight 
years  later  it  was  made  good  to  the  infant  Gentile  Church 
in  Csesarea,  in  the  house  of  Cornelius,  and  was  attended 
with  similar  signs  and  wonders.  The  same  was  also 
true  in  the  experience  of  the  infant  Church  of  Ephesus 
twenty-two  years  later,  as  seen  in  Acts  19:6.  In  John 
7  :  38,  39  we  find  that  Jesus  said,  "  In  the  last  day, 
that  great  day  of  the  feast,"  "  He  that  believeth  on  me, 
as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow 


80  THE  HEAVENLY  UNCTION. 

rivers  of  living  water,  but  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit 
whom  they  that  believed  on  him  should  receive."  "He 
that  believeth  on  me."  As  certainly  for  one  Disciple 
as  another.  "  But  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit  whom 
they  that  believed  on  him  should  receive."  As  truly 
for  us  as  for  the  Disciples  in  Jerusalem,  Csesarea  and 
Ephesus.  If  they  who  waited  upon  his  ministry  and 
were  personally  associated  with  him  in  his  work,  and 
witnessed  his  "  many  mighty  works,"  were  not  quali- 
fied for  the  service  and  work  to  which  they  were  sent, 
until  they  received  the  "  Heavenly  Unction ; "  aye,  if 
he  himself  must  needs  be  anointed  to  his  ministry,  how 
ever  can  we,  who  at  the  best  are  "  nothiug,"  hope  to 
accomplish  anything  in  his  service  without  like  endue- 
nient?  Unless  this  "Promise  of  my  Father"  is  also 
for  us,  we  go  to  war  at  our  own  charges,  and  our  efforts 
are  but  the  energy  of  the  flesh. 

But  the  "  Promise  of  my  Father,"  in  part  fulfilled  on 
the  Day  of  Pentecost,  is  found  in  Joel  2  :  28, 29.  Peter 
quoted  it  to  those  who  mocked,  and  declared  that  the 
signs  and  wonders  they  saw  were  in  fulfillment  of  this 
Scripture.  That  promise  was  only  fulfilled  in  part  OD 
the  Day  of  Pentecost.  It  reaches  on  to  the  times  of 
this  dispensation,  as  the  context  clearly  shows.  But  it 
is  to  be  noticed  that  the  Spirit  is  to  be  poured  out 
"upon  all  flesh."  That  "sons  and  daughters,"  " old 
men "  and  "  young  men,"  "  servants  and  .  .  .  hand- 
maids" are  the  subjects  of  his  enduement.  Surely, 
therefore,  this  Unction  is  for  all.  "  For  we  are  God's 
fellow-workers." 


THE    HEAVENLY    UNCTION.  81 

Fourth.  How  may  we,  the  Disciples  of  Jesus,  re- 
ceive the  Anointing?  In  2  Kings  2  :  1-15,  we  have 
the  story  of  the  translation  of  Elijah  and  the  spiritual 
anointing  of  Elisha.  It  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  les- 
son of  this  hour  to  us.  Elijah  was  a  type  of  Christ. 
Elisha  in  many  ways  typified  Disciples.  Elijah  was 
about  to  be  translated.  Elisha  knew  it.  He  had  a 
definite  desire.  Before  it  could  be  realized  he  must  be 
tested.  If  we  have  a  definite  desire  for  the  anointing, 
that  is  surely  promised  us,  and  without  which  we  can 
do  nothing,  we  shall  first  be  tested.  Christ  met  us  at 
Gilgal  and  justified  us  from  our  sins,  rolled  away  our 
reproach.  This  is  what  he  did  at  the  other  Gilgal  for 
poor  Israel.  Gilgal  means  circle.  Many  converted 
ones  are  lodged  at  Gilgal,  and  we  can  all  stay  there  if 
we  so  elect.  Their  thoughts  and  testimony  all  circle 
around  the  hour  and  fact  of  their  conversion  to  God. 
They  make  no  progress  in  spiritual  things,  and,  of 
course,  never  touch  the  secret  of  God's  power  with  men. 
If  we  elect  to  tarry  at  Gilgal  we  are  at  liberty  to  do  so. 
But  I  trust  that,  like  Elisha,  we  will  press  onward. 
And  so  we  come  to  Bethel.  Bethel  means  "  House  of 
God."  Jacob  fleeing  from  his  wronged  brother's  pres- 
ence stopped  here  for  a  night,  and  God  opened  heaven 
to  him  in  a  vision.  There  are  many  Disciples  resting 
and  dreaming  at  Bethel.  They  say,  "  Are  you  not 
saved?  Have  you  not  mansions  in  heaven  awaiting 
you? 


82  THE   HEAVENLY   UNCTION. 

1  Come,  let  us 

Sit,  and  sing  ourselves  away 
To  everlasting  bliss.' " 

In  testimony  meetings  they  tell  of  their  conversion 
and  then  grow  eloquent  in  their  descriptions  of  the 
heavenly  mansions.  We  may  stop  here  if  we  so  elect, 
and  engage  in  like  contemplation.  Let  us  press  on 
down  to  Jericho.  Jericho  was  the  City  of  "  Palm  Trees." 
It  lay  in  the  low,  hot,  dusty  plain  of  the  Jordan,  about 
850  feet  below  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  umbrageous 
palm  invited  the  hot,  weary,  foot-worn  traveler  to  rest. 
Why  not  tarry  here?  Many  have  yielded.  They  are 
they  who  spend  their  time  time  chiefly  in  telling  of 
their  attainments, — how  they  have  the  "  rest  of  faith  " 
— have  no  fret  or  worry,  but  undisturbed  repose,  and 
appear  to  have  little  or  no  concern  for  the  multitudes 
who  are  hurrying  down  to  death.  They  will  leave  a 
soul-saving  work  for  a  testimony  meeting,  where  they 
talk  of  their  attainments,  and  give  vent  to  their  censo- 
riousness  by  criticising  those  who  are  not  willing  to 
loiter  with  them  under  the  Palms,  and  who  will  not 
pronounce  their  shibboleth.  Such  are  not  truly  sancti- 
fied. In  order  that  we  may  be  sanctified,  truly  and 
personally,  it  is  necessary  to  get  beyond  Jordan.  So 
with  God's  help  we  press  onward  to  the  dark  river. 
Jordan  means  death  and  judgment.  Jesus  "died  for 
our  sins,"  he  was  judged  for  us — "  He  suffered  for  sins, 
the  just,  for  the  unjust."  The  dark  surging  billows 
rolled  over  him.  Will  we  pass  beyond  ?  We  are  to 


THE   HEAVENLY   UNCTION.  83 

reckon  ourselves  "  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin  "  (Rom. 
6:11).  We  are  to  believe  on  him.  "  For  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
believeth"  (Rom.  10  :  4),  that  judgment  may  be  passed 
by  us.  And  so  we  take  our  place,  separated  from  all 
entangling  alliances,  unto  God,  and  then  we  are  in  a 
position  to  ask  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  "  Promise  of 
my  Father."  Oh,  that,  as  thus  separated,  we  may 
"  ask  without  wavering  !  " 

Elisha  saw  Elijah  caught  up  into  heaven.  The  Dis- 
ciples saw  Jesus  taken  up  into  Heaven.  We  are  to 
look  in  the  same  direction.  It  is  the  living  Christ  that 
has  power  and  authority.  What  is  the  matter  with  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  ?  She  has  a  dead  Christ,  and 
consequently  is  in  much  darkness  and  superstition. 
Every  cross  and  wayside  shrine ;  every  horrible  pieta; 
every  painting  of  Christ,  of  any  note,  almost,  in  Cath- 
olic countries ;  every  sign  of  the  cross — these  all  tell 
of  a  dead  Christ.  The  darkest  picture  this  world  ever 
looked  upon  was  Golgotha's  tragic  cross.  The  heavens 
robed  themselves  in  midnight  mourning  and  bowed 
themselves  to  the  earth  and  wept.  The  rocks,  in  their 
dumb  grief,  burst  in  sunder  because  their  Creator  was 
put  to  death  by  the  cruel  hands  of  those  whom  he  came 
to  save  and  bless.  If  there  were  nothing  more  than 
this, — if  the  seal  that  was  placed  upon  the  tomb  of 
Joseph  of  Arimathea  had  remained  unbroken  we  would 
be  without  hope — death  would  be  to  us  an  unbroken 
sleep.  The  cross,  self-considered,  possesses  no  potential- 


84  THE   HEAVENLY  UNCTION. 

ity  whatever  to  save  and  deliver — for  "  If  Christ  be  iiot 
risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your  faith  is  also 
vain.  Yea,  and  we  are  found  false  witnesses  of  God  ; 
...  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins.  Then  they  which  are 
fallen  asleep  in  Christ  are  perished  "  (1  Cor.  15  :  14-18). 
But  when  we  view  this  darkest  picture  in  the  glowing 
background  splendors  of  his  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
it  glows  with  life,  light  and  beauty.  Paul  said,  "It 
pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mother's 
womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son  in 
me  "(Gal.  1:15,  16).  The  Anointing  of  the  Holy 
One,  is  the  revelation  of  the  living  Christ  in  the  heart 
and  life  of  the  believer  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  When  a 
Disciple  yields  himself  utterly  to  God — separates  him- 
self wholly  from  the  world,  so  that  he  can  truthfully 
say,  "  The  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the 
world,"  and  thus  takes  his  true  place,  according  to  the 
standing  God  gives  him  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and,  then  with 
unquestioning  faith  looks  away  to  the  living,  mediating 
Christ,  and  asks  the  Father,  in  Jesus'  name,  to  make 
good  his  promise,  it  will  most  surely  be  granted. 

We  all  rejoice  in  the  tens  of  thousands  of  Church 
organizations  in  the  world  ;  for  their  educated  and  elo- 
quent Pastors ;  for  their  millions  of  members,  with  their 
culture,  social  influence  and  vast  wealth ;  for  the  vast 
machinery  of  these  Churches — their  multiplied  and 
ever-increasing  agencies  and  ministries  of  good  ;  and 
all  their  great  power.  But,  all  of  these  and  this  cannot 
convict  or  con  vert  a  single  sinner.  God  has  written  all 


THE    HEAVENLY   UNCTION.  85 

over  everything  that  is  possible  to  human  strength  the 
word  Nothing.  All  these  agencies  can  be  used  of  God 
to  the  accomplishing  of  his  purposes  of  grace,  but  he 
alone  can  give  life  and  power  and  blessing.  Let  us  be 
careful  that  we  don't  have  "  Confidence  in  the  flesh  " — 
making  the  agencies,  means  and  that  which  otherwise  is 
possible  to  us,  humanly  speaking,  the  end,  rather  than 
which  God  has  ordained  to  an  end ;  and  anointed  by 
him,  and  having  all  confidence  in  him,  we  can  go  for- 
ward from  "  Conquering  and  to  conquer  " — one  chasing 
"  A  thousand  and  two  putting  ten  thousand  to  flight ; " 
"  Mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong- 
holds." 


IX. 

GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

BY  JAMES  MORROW,    D.D. 
Secretary  of  Pennsylvania  Bible  Society. 

BY  this  theme  we  are  brought  into  practical  aspects 
of  the  Christian  life.  Elsewhere  we  have  been 
taught  what  the  Holy  Spirit  does  to  us ;  here  we  con- 
sider what  we  may  do  to  him. 

The  terms  "  Grieving,  Tempting,  Resisting,"  although 
not  synonymous,  mutually  involve  or  touch  each  other. 
Nice  distinctions  are  not  here  attempted. 

Let  it  be  noted  thoughtfully  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may 
be  grieved,  tempted,  resisted.  This  proves  at  once  his 
personality  and  his  capability  of  grief,  with  our  ca- 
pacity for  grieving  him. 

If  this  were  not  a  Bible  commonplace — "  familiar  in 
our  mouths  as  household  words  " — it  would  startle  us 
to-day  as  a  very  remarkable  utterance.  To  find  out 
the  full  wealth  of  this  familiar  teaching  we  must  re- 
store it  to  its  original  lustre.  As  scholars,  with  the 
feather  of  their  pen,  brush  away  the  dust  from  long 
buried  monuments,  let  us  sweep  away  the  dust  from  our 
old,  perhaps  dead  beliefs  on  this  subject. 

That  the  Holy  Spirit  may  be  grieved,  tempted,  re- 
86 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING   THE  SPIRIT.      87 

sisted  by  us  is  a  remarkable  truth,  because  it  is  so  un- 
like the  ordinary  opinion  of  men  regarding  him.  If 
they  think  of  him  at  all,  it  is  of  One  apart  from  the 
world  in  which  they  dwell  and  remote  from  the  world 
within  their  own  thinking  minds  or  throbbing  hearts. 
Yet  he  works  on  the  souls  of  men — all  men — by  a 
most  potent  influence.  They  may  not  be  conscious  ol 
his  action,  nor  distinguish  clearly  his  enlightenment — 
warning  or  judging,  approving  or  condemning — from 
the  voice  of  conscience  or  the  judgment  of  pure  rea- 
son. Yet  he  occupies  his  place  within  "  Man — soul," 
and  performs  his  peculiar  work.  There  is  a  paral- 
lelism to  this  in  the  natural  world.  We  know  elec- 
tricity rather  from  its  effects  than  from  its  nature. 
The  ebb  and  flow  of  tides  reveal  the  influence  of  the 
moon  without  telling  us  the  "  why  "  and  "  wherefore  " 
of  its  law.  So  is  it  in  the  world  of  mind  and  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit.  We  know  the  result  called 
salvation,  and  trace  it  truthfully  to  the  energizing  cause, 
when  we  ascribe  it  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Doubtless  in  this  great  work  there  is  concurrent  ac- 
tion between  the  soul  of  man  and  the  Spirit  of  God. 
He  strove  with  the  man,  and  the  man  yielded.  He 
convinced  the  sinner  of  his  guilt,  and  the  penitent  one 
from  ruin's  brink  cried,  "  Lord  Jesus,  save."  He  took 
of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  showed  them  to  the  soul 
ready  to  die — as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wil- 
derness— and  when  the  trusting  heart  appropriated  the 
infinite  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus  it  was  the  Holy 


88      GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

Spirit  that  hastened  with  the  assurance  of  pardon  and 
inspired  the  rejoicing  believer  to  sing — 

My  God  is  reconciled, 

His  pardoning  voice  I  hear, 
He  owns  we  for  his  child, 

I  can  no  longer  fear. 
With  confidence  I  now  draw  nigh, 
And  Father,  Abba  Father,  cry. 

It  is  needful  to  remember,  in  proclaiming  the  neces- 
sity of  the  Spirit's  work,  the  related  truth  of  the  de- 
pendence and  activity  of  the  soul  of  man.  As  in  the 
days  when  the  Lord  Jesus  spake  to  the  fishermen  of 
Galilee  and  said,  "  Follow  me  " — and  they  left  all  and 
followed  him ;  so  now,  when  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  says 
"  Come,"  the  docile  believer  gladly  obeys. 

In  the  Kingdom  of  grace  under  which  we  live  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  Administrator  of  Redemption.  In 
his  administration  he  uses  the  Scriptures.  Inspired  by 
himself  he  employs  these,  both  for  the  conviction  of  the 
sinner  and  the  sanctification  of  the  saint.  The  Scrip- 
tures are  truth.  As  such  it  might  be  supposed  that  they 
would  win  the  approval  and  accomplish  the  salvation 
of  man  as  other  truth  makes  its  way  into  human  minds  ; 
changing  beliefs,  forming  opinions,  creating  convictions 
or  widening  the  mental  horizon.  But  this  is  not  the  case. 

Teachers  of  mathematics  rely  solely  and  properly 
on  the  adaptation  of  their  truth  to  the  minds  of  the 
students  and  depend  upon  the  unaided  powers  of  the 
mind  to  accept  and  act  upon  such  truth.  They  are 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT.      89 

right,  and  they  have  their  reward.  But  teachers  of 
Christianity  encounter  difficulties  and  obstacles  in  hu- 
man nature  utterly  unknown  to  teachers  of  other 
truth.  Not  merely  ignorance,  but  pride,  self-righteous- 
ness, prejudice,  unconcern,  and  even  hatred  of  the 
truth  meet  the  preacher  of  the  gospel  at  the  threshold 
of  every  human  heart.  Although  he  knows  that  the 
truth,  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  is  certain  as  that  of  the  multiplica- 
tion table,  and  that  it  is  adapted  to  the  universal  needs 
of  humanity,  as  the  key  is  fitted  to  the  lock,  still  his 
only  hope  of  success  is  in  the  Holy  Spirit.  For  he 
alone  can  snap  the  withes  of  pride,  prejudice  and 
hatred,  which  mathematical  truth  does  not  encounter. 
He  creates  the  hunger  and  then  supplies  the  food.  He 
brings  the  news  of  salvation  in  the  words  of  Scripture 
to  the  mind,  and  also  operates  upon  and  within  the 
mind.  He  takes  the  Bible  truth,  and  with  that  con- 
veys the  grace  necessary  to  its  reception. 

When  men  are  not  obedient  to  their  heavenly  calling 
the  Spirit  is  grieved,  tempted  or  resisted.  He  is  grieved 
when  they  resist  his  pleadings.  He  would  flood  their 
souls  with  ineffable  light,  but  they  love  darkness  rather 
than  light.  He  would  fire  their  hearts  with  a  divine 
enthusiasm,  but  they  quench  that  heavenly  flame.  Then 
their  perceptions  of  truth  and  duty  become  blunted  and 
their  affections,  towards  God  and  man,  benumbed. 

Thus  to  resist  God,  reveals  a  tremendous  force  in 
human  nature.  But  responsibility  hinges  here  and  the 
dread  fact  must  be  stated.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  sover- 


90      GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING   THE  SPIRIT. 

eign  and  free  in  his  gracious  influences  and  we  are  free 
to  follow  or  to  fail,  to  yield  or  to  resist,  to  hearken  or 
to  harden,  to  fan  the  flame  of  gracious  desire  or  to 
quench  the  fire  of  holy  love. 

When  we  are  asked  how  men  may  grieve  or  tempt  or 
resist  the  Spirit,  the  answer  is  clear  and  Biblical. 

I.    BY  DENYING  HIS   PERSONALITY   AND   DISHONORING 
HIS   OFFICES. 

We  ought,  as  a  convention  and  as  churches,  to  be 
jealous  for  the  Personality  and  Divinity  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  doubters  and  deniers  are  outspoken  and 
blatant.  While  we  are  meeting  in  Baltimore  the  Uni- 
tarians are  assembled  in  Philadelphia.  Listening  to 
them  concerning  Jesus,  we  can  but  wail  out,  with  Mary 
of  Magdala,  "  They  have  taken  away  my  Lord  and  I 
know  not  where  they  have  laid  him."  While  we  pro- 
claim the  Personality  and  Divinity  of  the  Spirit  they 
seem  to  be  in  the  state  of  those  who  said,  "  We  have 
not  so  much  as  heard  if  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost." 
Doubt  is  in  the  air  and  gathering  like  a  thunder  cloud 
it  makes  itself  heard.  When  unbelief  conspires  men  of 
faith  tnust  combine.  Let  us  send  forth  from  this  Con- 
vention a  trumpet  blast,  loud  and  clear,  on  this  cardinal 
doctrine  of  our  holy  religion  and  of  the  word  of  God.* 

*  It  was  in  answer  to  this  appeal  that  the  resolution  was  passed  at 
the  closing  session  of  the  Convention.  Many  disciples  simulta- 
neously felt  the  point  and  propriety  of  such  witness  bearing.  May 
he  who  is  thus  honored  accept  the  devout  tribute  to  his  Person  and 
hin  Work. 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING   THE  SPIRIT.       91 

The  Scriptures  proclaim  and  we,  believe,  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  not  the  mere  personification  of  a  divine  attri- 
bute, but  the  Third  Person  of  the  ever  blessed  Trinity. 
To  deny  that  is  to  grieve  him. 

As  the  Administrator  of  redemption  he  takes  the 
place  that  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  occupied  during  his 
earthly  life.  The  departure  of  the  Christ  was  the  con- 
dition of  the  Spirit's  advent.  Jesus  said,  "  I  will  pray 
the  Father  and  he  shall  give  you  another  Comforter 
that  he  may  abide  with  you  forever,"  (John  14 :  16). 
"Comforter" — TtapdxXrjToz,  i.e.,  one  called  to  the  side  of 
another,  a  helper,  as  an  attorney  to  his  client.  Jesus, 
the  first  Comforter,  is  thus  succeeded  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  What  Jesus  was  to  those  who  followed  him 
over  the  acres  "of  Immanuel's  Land,"  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  to  all  those  who  should  hereafter  believe  on  his  name. 
Did  Jesus  convince  men  of  sin  ?  So  does  now  the  Holy 
Spirit.  To  deny  that  is  to  resist  him.  Did  Jesus  guide 
men  in  their  quest  of  truth  ?  So  does  the  Holy  Spirit, 
all  who  in  later  days  search  for  it  as  for  hid  treasure. 
There  is  no  tablet  like  a  loving  memory  and  no  chroni- 
cler like  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  brought  all  things  to  the 
recollection  of  the  first  disciples  and  he  is  with  the  fol- 
lowers of  Jesus  still.  To  deny  that  is  to  grieve  him. 
Did  Jesus  say  to  a  poor  sufferer,  whose  name  we  shall 
never  know,  "  Son,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ?  "  So 
does  the  Holy  Spirit  now  to  those  who  conscious  of 
their  need  take  Jesus  as  their  Saviour.  To  deny  that 
is  to  tempt  him. 


92      GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

Further,  let  us  not  forget  that  Jesus  said  that  the 
other  Comforter  was  to  abide  with  us  forever.  He  has 
not  been  withdrawn  from  his  church.  We  need  not 
pray  for  his  coming  as  if  he  had  departed.  Let  us 
rather  ask  for  manifestations  of  his  presence  and  power, 
believing  that  he  is  near  and  able  and  willing  to  fulfil 
his  promise  to  fill  us  and  seal  us  and  guide  us  into  all 
truth. 

Closer  still  to  the  heart  of  Scripture  on  this  great 
theme,  let  us  examine  Ephesians  4 :  25—30,  for  an  epi- 
tome of  sins  in  the  practical  life,  and  where  we  have  the 
key-note  of  this  address.  Please  turn  to  your  Bibles 
and  read — and  long  after  these  days  of  holy  convoca- 
tion are  over,  read  the  words  again.  They  are  the  Holy 
Ghost's.  "  Wherefore  putting  away  lying,  speak  every 
man  truth  with  his  neighbor,  for  we  are  members  one 
of  another.  Be  ye  angry  and  sin  not,  let  not  the  sun 
go  down  upon  your  wrath.  Neither  give  place  to  the 
devil.  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more :  but  rather  let 
him  labor  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is 
good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth. 
Let  no  corrupt  communication  proceed  out  of  your 
mouth,  but  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying 
that  it  may  minister  grace  unto  the  hearers.  And 
grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  whereby  ye  are 
sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 

Look  at  these  sins  one  by  one  : 

1.  Falsehood.  To  speak  the  truth  is  due  to  all  men, 
as  well  as  to  God,  but  here  it  is  urged  as  necessary  to 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT.       93 

the  perfect  brotherhood  within  the  circle  of  the  church. 
Wilful  misstatements,  polite  lies,  half  truths,  which  are 
ever  the  blackest  of  lies — all  these  are  breaches  upon 
mutual  confidence  among  believers.  They  are  more ; 
they  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  All  paltering  with 
truth  in  a  double  sense",  that  keeps  the  word  of  promise 
to  the  ear,  but  breaks  it  to  the  hope,  is  an  offence  in 
Heaven. 

2.  Wrath.     The  text  quoted  shows  us  that  there  is  a 
possible  anger  without  sin.     The  flashing  out  of  the 
pure  and  liberty-loving  soul  against  cruelty,  lies  and 
foulness,  is  just  and  right  and  Christian.     Such  resent- 
ment against  evil  is  needful  in  our  resistance  of  it.     But 
anger  to  be  righteous  must  be  brief.     As  the  corruption 
of  the  best  is  the  worst,  so  justifiable  indignation,  when 
brooded  over  or  "  nursed  to  be  kept  warm,"  becomes 
an  injury  to   the   soul.     It   acts  like  acid  on  steel — it 
stains  the  white  radiance,  it  mars  the  placid  surface. 
Then  the  Spirit  is  grieved,  for  such  a  one  gives  place  to 
the  devil,  who  finds  an  opportunity  when  and  where  we 
least  expect  him — as  Bunyan,  in  the  allegory,  tells  of  a 
by-path  to  hell  hard  by  the  gate  of  heaven. 

3.  Stealing.     This  warning  against  a  crime  seems  out 
of  place   in   an   address   to   believers.     Perhaps   it   is 
spoken  of,  that  its  counterpart  in  self-sacrifice  might  be 
enforced.     Stealing  is  not  here  shown  to  be  a  wrong 
committed  against  society — that  goes  without  saying — 
but  because  it  is  opposed  to  the  proper  treatment  of  our 
brothers  in  Christ.     It  saps  the  foundations  of  the  per- 


94      GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

feet  home  life — whether  it  be  the  robbing  of  property 
or  the  filching  of  reputation.  Beware  of  the  latter  in 
the  church  of  God.  It  grieves  the  Spirit  for  it  wrongs 
and  injures  those  for  whom  Christ  died. 

3.  lt  Corrupt  speech"  (Revised  Version).  The  word 
aaxfibz  translated  corrupt  means  rotten.  This  is  the 
only  place  in  the  New  Testament  where  it  is  used  meta- 
phorically. In  Eph.  5 :  4  it  is  described  at  length  as 
"  Filthiness  "  or  the  talking  without  necessity  of  foul 
and  evil  things.  In  studying  medicine  or  even  litera- 
ture professionally,  one  must  learn  everything  about 
everything,  however  malodorous.  But  to  speak  of  such 
things  unnecessarily,  "  Dabbling  a  shameless  hand  with 
shameful  jest,"  shows  the  prurient  taste  and  grieves  the 
pure  and  Holy  Spirit. 

"  Foolish  talking,"  the  talking  of  fools,  i.e.,  the  wicked. 
This  is  the  Bible  meaning  of  the  word  and  must  not  be 
understood  as  referring  to  the  babbling  of  imbeciles  or 
idiots.  It  is  God  who  describes  the  man  as  a  fool,  who 
says  in  his  heart,  "  There  is  no  God."  We  are  to  avoid 
the  speech  of  those  who,  in  the  name  of  science  falsely 
so  called,  would  banish  God  from  the  universe  he  has 
made  as  well  as  the  speech  of  those  who  in  profanity  or 
oath,  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain.  All  such  speech  is 
corrupt  and  grieves  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"  Jesting."  Perhaps  this  is  the  form  of  corrupt 
speech  to  which  many  amongst  ourselves  are  most  prone. 
It  may  be  the  polished  wit,  neither  gross  nor  vulgar, 
which  spares  nothing,  however  sacred,  that  may  raise 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT.      95 

the  vacant  laugh.  It  seizes  upon  Holy  Scripture  as 
fitting  game  for  ribaldry  or  pun.  It  is  not  guilty  per- 
haps of  the  double  entendre  that  pales  the  cheek  of  an 
innocent  girl,  and  it  abjures  the  coarse,  simply  because 
it  lacks  elegance.  But  nevertheless  it  cuts  deep  into  the 
purity  and  peace  of  the  soul  and  it  makes  impossible  all 
profit  from  Scriptures  that  have  been  travestied.  Never 
jest  with  the  Bible  or  the  spiritual  meaning  will  be  lost 
to  you  forever. 

"  Don't  quote  the  Bible  to  me,"  said  a  dying  man 
recently.  "  I  have  linked  every  part  of  it  with  a  jest 
and  that  I  cannot  forget." 

.  Oh,  the  sins  of  speech  of  which  we  have  been  guilty ! 
The  desire  to  shine  in  conversation,  to  be  entertaining 
to  friends,  to  avoid  the  dullness  seen  in  others,  these 
have  hurried,  even  good  men,  into  ignoble  levity  or  im- 
piety. Let  us  here  to-day,  brethren,  vow  not  to  do  it 
and  not  to  listen  to  it. 

Palsy  hurts  ourselves,  and  diphtheria  is  dangerous  to 
the  community,  but  impure  speech  injures  alike  speaker 
and  hearer. 

For  such  conduct  and  for  the  habits  of  mind  from 
which  it  springs  we  are  responsible.  Levity  over  sacred 
things  grows  on  what  it  feeds,  and  grieves  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Cavilling  at  Bible  teaching,  through  intellectual 
pride,  engenders  self-will  and  prevents  the  progress  won 
only  by  devout  docility,  and  thus  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
resisted.  Then  this  light  grows  dim  and  the  altar  fires 
burn  low. 


96      GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

Can  we  know  within  ourselves  when  the  Spirit  is 
grieved  ?  Certainly.  The  signs  of  the  backslider  ap- 
pear and  "  the  consolations  of  God  are  small." 

Prayer  becomes  Formed. — Private  devotions  are  feeble ; 
family  worship  is  cold  or  altogether  disused.  Look  at 
the  heap  of  ashes,  white  and  dead,  on  the  hearth  of 
many  Christian  homes.  They  are  the  burnt-out  relics 
of  a  once  living  altar  fire,  and  tell  their  sad  story  of  the 
decay  of  faith.  The  heathen  priest  defended  his  having 
an  idol  in  his  house,  as  well  as  in  the  temple,  because 
he  lived  there  chiefly  and  needed  the  presence  of  the 
protector.  So  do  we,  and  we  may  know  the  Spirit  is 
tempted  when  we  rely  on  occasional  services  in  the 
sanctuary  and  disregard  the  quiet  hours  of  devotion  at 
home. 

The  Bible  is  Neglected. — The  Holy  Spirit  inspired 
the  book,  and  he  that  allows  it  to  become  dust -covered 
on  a  remote  shelf  has  the  evidence  in  himself  of  the 
Spirit's  grief  and  of  his  own  deterioration.  For  t  this 
grief  it  must  be  remembered  does  not  arise  so  much 
from  the  offence  against  himself  as  from  the  wrong  and 
injury  to  ourselves.  It  mars  his  plan  for  our  sanctifica- 
tion.  As  the  loving  wife  or  mother  grieves  over  the 
moral  decline  of  son  or  husband  through  strong  drink, 
the  sin  of  youth,  or  avarice,  the  sin  of  age,  so  the  Holy 
Spirit  mourns  over  man's  loss  of  purity  and  power. 
The  fine  promise  of  spring  is  unfulfilled  in  autumn. 
Profession  ends  in  failure.  Slowly  but  surely  the  blight 
falls. 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT.      97 

It  is  the  little  rift  within  the  lute 
That  by  and  by  will  make  the  music  mute; 
Or  little  pitted  speck  in  garnered  fruit 
That,  rotting  inward,  slowly  moulders  all. 

The  fish  in  the  Mammoth  Cave  are  a  sad  sight — eye- 
less, for  they  are  in  a  world  of  darkness — but  immeas- 
urably sadder  are  human  souls  that  are  blind  in  a 
world  of  light — self-blinded,  for  they  have  quenched  the 
fire  and  the  light  of  life  within  their  own  immortal  na- 
tures by  neglect  of  duties,  or  through  worldliness  and 
God-forgetfulness. 

There  is  an  evident  evil  among  believers  that  must 
grieve  the  Spirit,  even  although  they  may  desire  to 
honor  him,  in  limiting  his  operations  to  one  course  or 
method.  Many  of  God's  children,  like  Col.  Gardiner, 
can  tell  the  day  and  hour,  the  place  and  circumstances 
when  they  were  born  of  God.  They  sing  of  the  happy 
day  when  Jesus  washed  their  sins  away  with  a  most 
definite  memory  of  the  inquiry-room  where  they  sat,  or 
of  the  altar  at  which  they  knelt,  when  "  being  justified 
by  faith  they  had  peace  with  God."  Others,  like  the 
sainted  Baxter,  had  no  such  experience.  Gently  as  the 
sunlight  breaks  upon  a  sleeping  world  came  the  sweet 
influences  of  grace  upon  their  youthful  hearts.  They 
know  they  love  the  Lord,  but  they  do  not  remember 
when  or  where  they  entered  into  the  kingdom.  Let 
both  classes  beware.  "  The  Spirit  is  not  straitened  " 
(Micah  2  :  7).  To  chalk  off  a  definite  line  for  the 
Spirit's  manifold  operations  on  the  diversified  character 
7 


98      GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

and  conditions  of  men  is  a  pernicious  intruding  of  man 
within  the  realm  of  God.  It  has  also  the  effect,  when 
believed,  of  producing  despondency  in  some  minds  and 
of  creating  a  lack  of  charity  in  others. 

The  very  diversity  of  operation  shows  the  divinity. 
As  we  discover  in  nature  an  exuberant  fulness  and 
variety,  and  see  in  this  the  inexhaustible  wealth  of  re- 
sources used  by  our  Heavenly  Father  in  Creation  and 
Providence,  so  in  the  copiousness  of  grace,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  restriction  to  one  mode  of  operation,  we  discover 
the  same  divine  richness — an  opulent  abundance  of 
treasury  equalled  by  an  infinite  variety  of  mode.  Let, 
then,  our  Colonel  Gardiners,  "  stopped  in  a  moment  in 
their  mad  career,"  respect  the  Richard  Baxters  who,  in 
another  way,  came  to  the  Saviour,  and  let  not  the  Bax- 
ters reason  from  the  way  in  which  they  were  saved  that 
that  is  the  only  way  ;  and  by  criticism  or  assertion  at- 
tempt to  decry  the  Spirit's  work  in  the  sudden  and 
startling  conversion  of  men  like  Gardiner. 

Two  more  evils  appear  in  our  modern  Church  life. 
One  is  in  the  hot-house  culture  of  revived  monasticism, 
where  the  highest  perfection  is  supposed  to  be  secured 
by  Asceticism.  The  Church  of  Rome  in  teaching  what 
she  calls  the  Saviour's  "  Counsels  of  Perfection,"  claims 
that  these — chastity,  poverty  and  obedience — are  only 
intended  for  a  few  favorites  of  Heaven.  The  applica- 
tion of  the  term  "a  religious"  to  monk  or  nun,  inter- 
dicts the  great  mass  of  her  followers  from  the  hope  of 
Christian  perfection,  lowers  motherhood  and  fatherhood, 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT.      99 

and  makes  the  religion  of  common  things  less  attractive 
or  possible. 

This  evil  is  nearer  home  than  Rome.  Let  us  watch 
most  prayerfully  and  carefully  the  "  Deaconness  "  and 
kindred  movements  in  our  common  Protestantism,  lest 
they  leave  the  Scriptural  foundation  on  which  they  rest 
and  glide  downward  to  monasticism. 

"  We  need  not  bid  for  cloistered  cell 
Our  neighbor  and  our  work  farewell, 
Or  try  to  wind  ourselves  too  high 
For  sinful  man  beneath  the  sky. 

4<  The  simple  round,  the  common  task, 
Will  furnish  all  we  ought  to  ask, 
Room  to  deny  ourselves — a  road 
To  bring  us  daily  nearer  God." 

Live  amidst  suffering  men  and  spend  your  strength  in 
helpful  work.  If  men  and  women  will  thus  learn  to  do  the 
common  things  of  life  in  a  religious  spirit — if  they  will 
open  their  eyes  and  recognize  God's  nearness  to  them  and 
his  help  in  the  household  duty,  the  office  care  or  factory 
toil,  they  will  cease  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit.  My  final 
word  is  upon  grieving  the  Spirit  in  our  failure  of  duty  to 
our  brother-man.  We  have  often  heard  that  "  Man's  inhu- 
manity to  man  makes  countless  myriads  mourn."  It 
does  more.  It  grieves  the  Holy  Spirit.  We  who  love 
the  Lord  are  in  the  world  for  his  sake,  that  we  may  wit- 
ness for  him  ;  for  our  own  sake,  that  we  may  grow  in 
grace  and  be  disciplined  through  suffering  and  work ; 
but  we  are  also  here/or  our  brother's  sake. 


100    GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT. 

No  man,  out  of  Christ,  knows  his  own  nature  or  his 
own  worth.  He  does  not  know  his  danger.  How  then 
is  this  wide  fringe  of  immortal  men  lying  around  the 
Churches  to  be  reached  and  rescued  ?  Not  by  pastors 
only,  but  by  every  believer  becoming  a  missionary.  When 
•we  realize  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  burnt  into  our  heart 
of  hearts  the  conviction  that  we  are  in  the  world  for  the 
world's  sake,  and,  taking  up  the  cross,  speak  to  those 
we  know  or  meet  on  the  claims  of  Christ, — on  their  rela- 
tion to  Eternity,  on  their  own  worth,  estimated  by  the 
death  of  Jesus  on  the  cross ;  then  multitudes  will  be 
converted  to  God.  "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is 
thirsty " — that  is,  the  believer,  conscious  of  his  need, 
and  knowing  the  source  of  supply  ;  "  And  floods  upon 
the  dry  ground  " — that  is,  the  mass  of  thoughtless  and 
prayerless  men  reached  when  the  Church  is  revived. 
Have  you  received  a  refreshing  draught  of  the  water  of 
life  ?  Then  speak  to  others  of  Christ  and  the  great  sal- 
vation, and  the  energizing  Spirit  will  accompany  the 
word  spoken  in  love.  If  men  do  not  know  their  own 
worth  we  need  not  wonder  that  the  world  puts  a  low 
estimate  upon  the  .poor  man.  "  What  is  he  worth  ?  " 
means  money,  not  mental  capacity  or  spiritual  possi- 
bility. "What  does  he  know,"  intellectual  acquire- 
ment, not  gifts  of  grace  or  soul -furnishing.  Here 
the  Church  is  being  dominated  by  the  world.  Pray 
that  our  eyes  may  be  opened  to  see  the  possible  angel 
concealed  in  the  sinner,  as  Augelo  saw  his  great  statue 
within  the  block  of  marble.  Having  faith  in  the  Holy 


GRIEVING,  TEMPTING,  RESISTING  THE  SPIRIT.    101 

Ghost,  let  us  have  faith  in  man.  We  can  look  upon 
the  most  depraved  without  despair,  for  they  have  a 
Saviour,  and  can  be  renewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  As 
the  father  saved  his  money,  about  to  be  thrown  in  the 
fire  by  his  thoughtless  child,  who  knew  not  its  value,  let 
us  rescue  the  perishing.  "It  is  not  the  will  of  our 
Father  in  heaven  that  one  of  these  little  ones  should 
perish."  His  providence  will  give  an  opportunity  and 
his  Spirit  a  blessing. 

As  but  a  moment  ago  the  lighted  gas  burnt  low,  and 
this  beautiful  church,  where  once  my  rarely  gifted 
friend,  Thomas  Guard  preached  the  words  of  life, 
seemed  gloomy  and  dull,  and  you  could  not  read  the 
Holy  Book,  but  at  the  touch  of  an  unseen  janitor's  hand, 
bright  jets  of  flame  flashed  forth,  and  we  now  can  see 
the  glory  of  the  fretted  roof  and  the  storied  windows,  or 
note  the  thoughtful  faces  of  the  devout  worshippers. 
So  may  it  be  with  ourselves  and  with  our  churches  ! 
We  do  not  pray  for  more  machinery,  as  this  sacred  place 
did  not,  an  hour  ago,  need  more  gas  fixtures.  We  have 
enough  of  church  machinery.  We  pray  for  more  power. 
Come,  Holy  Spirit,  come  !  Clothe  thy  ministers  with 
righteousness.  Breathe  into  every  heart  thine  own  di- 
vine afflatus.  Fill  every  service  and  agency  with  thy 
supreme  and  qualifying  energy.  Let  an  unction  of  the 
Holy  One  rest  upon  the  people  and  the  grieving,  resist- 
ing and  tempting  of  the  Spirit  of  God  shall  cease. 


X. 

THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

BY  D.    M.    STEARNS,   SCRANTON,  PA. 

AS  we  consider  the  lack  of  real  spiritual  worship  of 
God  on  the  part  of  such  multitudes  of  his  pro- 
fessed people,  and  the  "  no  worship  at  all "  of  the 
greater  multitudes  outside  the  church,  the  true  wor- 
shipper is  led  to  ask  :  "  Will  the  time  ever  come  when 
in  all  the  world  God  shall  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and 
in  truth  ? "  Assurance  of  success  is  to  many  a  great 
inspiration,  and  if  we  can  become  fully  persuaded  that 
this  time  shall  surely  come,  and  that  we  shall  see  it,  it 
may  nerve  us  to  seek  more  whole-heartedly  for  our- 
selves and  others  to  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  that  in 
this  present  time  we  may  earnestly  contend  for  true 
spiritual  worship  and  testimony,  standing  resolutely 
apart  from  all  dead  forms  and  ceremonies^  while  we 
wait  for,  and  seek  to  hasten,  the  dawn  of  a  better  dis- 
pensation than  that  in  which  we  now  live.  If  Abra- 
ham was  enabled  to  wait  more  patiently  by  looking  for 
the  city  which  hath  foundations ;  if  Moses  was  enabled 
to  turn  away  from  all  the  attractions  of  Egypt's  glory 
by  getting  his  eyes  and  heart  fixed  on  the  recompense 
of  the  reward  ;  if  our  Lord  Jesus  himself,  "  for  the 
102 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.      103 

joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross;"  we 
have  the  best  of  precedents  to  encourage  ourselves  by 
contemplating  the  grand  consummation  which  is  sure 
to  come.  Let  us  listen  then  for  a  few  moments  to  the 
Spirit's  own  testimony  as  to  what  he  will  yet  accom- 
plish on  our  earth.  "All  the  ends  of  the  world  shall 
remember,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord ;  and  all  the  kin- 
dreds of  the  nations  shall  worship-  before  thee  :  for  the 
kingdom  is  the  Lord's,  and  he  is  the  governor  among 
the  nations."  "All  the  earth  shall  worship  thee,  and 
shall  sing  unto  thee  ;  they  shall  sing  to  thy  name." 
"  Yea,  all  kings  shall  fall  down  before  him ;  all  nations 
shall  serve  him."  "All  nations  whom  thou  hast  made 
shall  come  and  worship  before  thee,  O  Lord ;  and  shall 
glorify  thy  name."  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and  from  one  Sabbath 
to  another,  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship  before  me, 
saith  the  Lord."  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
every  one  that  is  left  of  all  the  nations  which  came 
against  Jerusalem  shall  even  go  up  from  year  to  year 
to  worship  the  King,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  to  keep 
the  feast  of  Tabernacles."  "  Who  shall  not  fear  thee, 
O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  Name?  for  thou  only  art 
holy ;  for  all  nations  shall  come  and  worship  before 
thee;  for  thy  judgments  are  made  manifest "  (Ps.  22: 
27,  28;  66:  4;  72:  11;  86:  9;  Isa.  66:  23;  Zee. 
14 :  16 ;  Rev.  15 :  4).  If  the  question  be  asked 
"When  shall  these  things  be?"  the  Spirit,  through 
Joel,  plainly  says  that  it  will  be  after  Jehovah  has  re- 


104     THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

turned  to  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Israel,  that  they  may 
never  again  be  ashamed,  then  will  he  pour  out  his 
Spirit  upon  all  flesh;  and  that  which  had  a  germinant 
fulfilment  at  Pentecost  shall  have  a  complete  and  world- 
wide fulfilment  when  the  kingdom  shall  be  the  Lord's. 
If  it  be  asked  "Who  shall  live  when  God  doeth  this?" 
the  answer  is  "  You  who  now  hear  these  words  if  by 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus  and  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
you  are  a  true  worshipper  of  the  Father." 

It  will  help  us  in  our  worship  now  if  we  can  form 
some  idea  of  what  worship  will  be  in  those  days,  and 
it  we  can  get  some  light  upon  what  true  worship  really 
is.  Listen  then  to  Seraphim  and  Cherubim,  types  of 
the  most  exalted  portion  of  our  redeemed  humanity,  the 
Church,  the  Body  of  Christ.  "  I  saw  the  Lord  sitting 
upon  a  Throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled 
the  Temple.  Above  it  stood  the  Seraphim  ;  each  one 
had  six  wings ;  with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and 
with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did 
fly.  And  one  cried  unto  another  and  said,  Holy,  Holy, 
Holy  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of 
his  Glory."  "And  the  four  living  creatures  had  each 
of  them  six  wings  about  him,  and  they  were  full  of 
eyes  within  :  and  they  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying, 
Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was 
and  is,  and  is  to  come.  And  when  those  living  crea- 
tures give  glory  and  honor  and  thanks  to  him  that  sat 
on  the  throne,  who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  the  four 
and  twenty  elders  fall  down  before  him  that  sat  on  the 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.      105 

throne,  and  worship  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever, 
and  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying,  Thou 
art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory  and  honor  and 
power :  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy 
pleasure  they  are  and  were  created."  (Isa.  6 :  1-3 ; 
Rev.  4:  8-11.)  In  these  visions  of  Isaiah  and  John 
we  see  and  hear  true  worship.  The  object  of  worship 
is  a  person,  not  a  principle,  or  a  creed,  or  a  sect;  not 
even  an  angel  or  an  archangel ;  but  the  Lord  himself 
whom  alone  they  exalt.  The  ground  of  worship  is, 
"  Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by 
thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  peo- 
ple and  nation  ;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  Kings 
and  Priests."  The  consummation  is,  "And  we  shall 
reign  on  the  earth."  The  Power  is  seen  in  the  seven 
lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God,  or  the  Spirit  in  his  sevenfold 
fulness.  (Rev.  5  :  9,  10 ;  4 :  5.)  As  to  the  worship- 
pers, they  do  not  boast  of  what  they  are,  but  cover 
their  faces  (indicating  their  characters)  with  their  wings  ; 
they  do  not  boast  of  what  they  have  done,  their  Chris- 
tian conduct  or  walk  (indicated  by  the  feet)  but  cover 
their  feet  also  with  their  wings ;  and  with  one  accord 
they  vie  with  each  other,  as  they  cast  their  crowns  be- 
fore him,  in  extolling  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  Lord 
God  Almighty,  whose  glory  is  the  fulness  of  the  whole 
earth. 

Let  us  now  descend  from  these  glorious  heights,  this 
far-reaching    mount   of  Transfiguration,   and   consider 


106     THE  SPIRIT  FOB  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

how  we  may  worship  and  witness  while  we  contend 
with  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil.  Let  us  listen 
to  the  weary,  lonely  man,  the  God-man,  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh,  the  revealer  of  the  Father,  as  he  sits  on 
Jacob's  well  and  talks  with  the  woman  of  Samaria. 
She  being  convinced  of  sin  by  the  Spirit  in  him,  seeks 
to  evade  the  issue  by  bringing  up  the  question  of  the 
place  of  worship ;  as  if  to-day  one  should  say,  well,  it 
may  be  all  true,  but  I  do  not  believe  as  you  do,  I  am  a 
Catholic,  or  I  am  a  Methodist,  or  a  Baptist,  or  a  Pres- 
byterian, or  an  Episcopalian,  you  worship  in  your  way 
and  I'll  worship  in  mine.  Jesus  replied  that  place  or 
externals  was  nothing,  but  the  heart  everything;  for 
the  Father  seeketh  true  worshippers,  who  shall  worship 
in  Spirit  and  in  Truth.  The  woman  had  spoken  of 
"  Jacob  our  father "  and  of  "  our  fathers,"  but  Jesus 
speaks  of  "  The  Fattier"  who  alone  is  to  be  worshipped. 
While  God  is  spoken  of  as  "  Father,"  a  few  times  in 
the  Old  Testament,  as  in  Ps.  89:  26;  Isa.  63:  16; 
64 :  8,  it  remained  for  Jesus  to  reveal  him  as  such,  that 
as  such  we  might  worship  him.  It  is  the  name  by 
which  we  were  first  taught  to  address  him,  but  how  lit- 
tle we  know  of  the  fulness  of  the  meaning  of  this  beau- 
tiful name,  and  therefore  how  poor  our  worship.  It  is 
the  name  found  in  the  first  and  last  recorded  utter- 
ances of  Jesus,  "  Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my 
Father's  business?"  "  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit "  (Luke  2  :  49  ;  23  :  46) ;  and  it  is  the 
name  first  on  his  lips  after  his  resurrection,  when  he 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.     107 

says  to  Mary  "  Touch  me  not ;  for  I  am  not  yet  as- 
cended to  my  Father ;  but  go  to  my  brethren,  and  say 
unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father ; 
and  to  my  God,  and  your  God."  (John  20  :  17.)  In 
his  discourse  and  prayer  on  the  night  of  his  betrayal 
and  arrest  he  uses  the  name  about  fifty  times,  saying 
among  other  things  "  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen 
the  Father — I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me 
— at  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father, 
and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you."  If  we  more  fully  realized 
our  relationship  to  God  as  his  children  by  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  his  relationship  to  us  as  our  Father 
who  art  in  Heaven,  then  would  our  worship,  both  in 
public  and  private,  be  more  real  and  more  acceptable  to 
him.  This  can  be  brought  about  only  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  "  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
they  are  the  sons  of  God  ...  ye  have  received  the 
Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father." 
(Rom.  8  :  14,  15.) 

In  over  fifty  of  the  170  places  where  the  Hebrew 
word  for  "  worship "  is  found  in  the  Old  Testament, 
it  is  translated  as  "  bow  self  down,"  and  in  this  we  have 
the  whole  hindrance  to  salvation,  or  life  and  service,  or 
true  worship.  In  the  matter  of  the  salvation  of  a  sin- 
ner what  is  so  great  a  hindrance  as  the  mind  of  the  flesh 
which  is  enmity  against  God ;  is  not  subject  to  the  law 
of  God,  neither,  indeed,  can  be :  but  takes  pride  in  its 
own  fancied  righteousness,  all  of  which  is  in  God's 
sight  only  as  filthy  rags  (Rom.  8:7;  Tit.  3:5;  Isa. 


108     THE  SPIRIT  FOB  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

64  :  6).  When  the  sinner  has  been  enabled  by  the  en- 
lightening Spirit  to  see  his  filthiness  and  to  renounce  it, 
accepting  in  its  place  the  spotless  robe  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  Christ,  what  hinders  the  abundant  life 
and  service  which  every  Christian  ought  to  manifest, 
so  much  as  this  same  self  or  flesh  which  remaining  in 
the  believer  seeks  to  be  pitied  and  pampered :  and  the 
believer  instead  of  denying  self,  and  mortifying  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  putting  off  the  old  man,  is,  alas,  too 
oft  inclined  to  pity  self  (Matt.  16 :  22  marg.)  instead  of 
reckoning  it  dead  (Rom.  6:11;  8:13;  Matt.  16 :  24 ; 
2  Cor.  4 :  11).  Then  as  to  worship,  the  difficulty  is, 
confidence  in  the  flesh,  which  is  directly  opposed  to 
worshipping  God  in  the  Spirit  and  rejoicing  in  Christ 
Jesus  (Phil.  3:  3).  They  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot 
please  God.  No  flesh  shall  glory  in  his  presence.  He 
that  glorieth  must  glory  in  the  Lord  (Rom.  8  :  8 ;  1 
Cor.  1 :  29-31). 

We  have  been  redeemed  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ  that  we  may  yield  ourselves  fully  unto  him  for 
his  service,  that  by  true  worship  and  faithful  testimony 
we  may  glorify  God  and  win  people  to  him  as  he  has 
revealed  himself  in  Jesus  Christ.  This  we  cannot  do  ; 
we  are  not  sufficient  for  these  things,  but  our  sufficiency 
is  of  God  who  gives  unto  us  the  Holy  Spirit  to  this 
end.  He  says,  "  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple 
of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?" 
"  What !  know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God, 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.      109 

and  ye  are  not  your  own ;  for  ye  are  bought  with  a 
price :  therefore  glorify  God  in  your  body  and  in  your 
spirit,  which  are  God's  ?  "  "  Ye  are  the  temple  of  the 
living  God ;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in  them, 
and  walk  in  them ;  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they 
shall  be  my  people"  (1  Cor.  3 :  16  ;  6:19,  20 ;  2  Cor. 
6 :  16).  Then  he  adds,  "  Wherefore  come  out  from 
among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and 
touch  not  the  unclean ;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will 
be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and 
daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  This  is  the  only 
place  in  the  New  Testament  outside  the  book  of  Reve- 
lation where  we  find  the  name  "  Almighty ; "  and  its 
use  here  is  most  interesting  and  instructive,  and  right  in 
the  line  of  our  subject.  The  name  "  Almighty  "  signi- 
fies literally  "  the  breasted  one  "  (Shaddai) ;  and  reveals 
God  to  us  as  the  all-sufficient  pourer  forth  of  all  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  blessings.  It  is  first  found  in  Gen. 
17:1,  after  a  blank  in  Abram's  history  of  thirteen 
years  because  of  his  reliance  on  the  flesh  instead  of  on 
the  all-sufficient  Jehovah.  Then  Jehovah  comes  to  him 
saying,  "  I  am  the  Almighty  God,  walk  before  me,  and 
be  thou  perfect  (or  upright,  or  sincere)."  Then  is  his 
name  changed  from  Abram  (exalted  father)  to  Abra- 
ham (father  of  a  multitude).  The  middle  letter  of 
Elohim,  and  the  principal  letter  of  Jehovah,  God's 
great  name,  is  inserted  in  Abram's  name,  as  if  to  indi- 
cate that  God  in  him  would  now  cause  him  to  be  fruit- 
ful. Of  the  less  than  sixty  times  that  the  name  "  Al- 


110     THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

mighty  "  is  found  in  the  whole  Bible,  it  is  found  more 
than  half  the  number  (31  times)  in  the  book  of  Job ; 
where  we  have  the  history  of  a  servant  of  God,  thor- 
oughly emptied  of  himself ;  and  thus  ceasing  to  think 
anything  of  himself,  and  leaning  on  the  sufficiency  of 
the  Almighty  pourer  forth,  everything  is  literally  dou- 
bled to  him.  Oh,  how  fruitful  our  worship  and  testi- 
mony would  be,  and  how  glorifying  to  God,  if  we  would 
only  separate  ourselves  from  all  filthiuess  of  the  flesh 
and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God  (2  Cor. 
7:1);  and  thus  allowing  our  Almighty  Father  to  prove 
himself  our  sufficiency,  how  gloriously  he  would  show 
to  the  world  that  such  Christians  are  indeed  his  sons 
and  daughters;  and  how  he  would  delight  to  show 
forth  his  power  in  them  and  on  their  behalf. 

We  must  remember  that  there  can  be  no  acceptable 
worship  or  testimony  apart  from  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  or  the  sacrifices  which,  before  he  came, 
pointed  forward  to  his ;  for  "  without  shedding  of  blood 
is  no  remission  "  (Heb.  9  :  22),  and  the  unsaved  cannot 
worship  God.  In  the  offerings  of  Cain  and  Abel  there 
was  a  foreshadowing  of  all  future  worshippers  and  their 
methods.  Those  who  do  not  see  their  guilt  and  their 
need  of  a  substitute  come  as  Cain  came,  bringing  the 
best  they  have,  well  satisfied  with  themselves  ;  but  there 
is  no  worship,  for  there  is  no  atonement,  and  their 
offerings,  however  beautiful,  are  not  accepted  by 
God.  Those  who  like  Abel  see  their  guilt,  and  come 
in  humble  reliance  upon  the  Lamb  slain  for  them,  re- 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.      Ill 

joicing  in  the  blood  that'  was  shed  for  their  sins,  as  they 

sing, 

"  Nothing  in  my  hands  I  bring, 
Simply  to  thy  cross  I  cling." 

These  are  acceptable  worshippers. 

In  our  public  worship  our  services  consist  of  Praise, 
Prayer,  Preaching  and  an  Offering,  and  the  Spirit  has 
not  left  us  without  guidance  in  reference  to  each  part. 
"  I  will  pray  with  the  Spirit,  and  I  will  pray  with  the 
understanding  also ;  I  will  sing  with  the  Spirit  and  I 
will  sing  with  the  understanding  also.  ...  I  had  rather 
speak  five  words  with  my  understanding,  that  I  might 
teach  others  also,  than  ten  thousand  words  in  an  un- 
known tongue."  "  They  read  in  the  book,  in  the  law 
of  God  distinctly,  and  gave  the  sense,  and  caused  them 
to  understand  the  reading"  (1  Cor.  14:  15,  19;  Neh. 
8  :  8).  Here  are  the  Spirit's  own  directions  for  the 
worship  of  God,  and  if  we  are  to  worship  in  Spirit  it 
must  be  in  submission  to  the  Spirit's  guidance.  All 
must  be  done  that  all  may  be  benefited  and  all  take 
part  in  the  worship.  We  will  suppose  that  those  who 
lead  the  praise  of  the  congregation  are  Christian  men 
and  women,  for  otherwise  they  have  no  right  to  any 
such  place,  inasmuch  as  the  unsaved  cannot  worship : 
"  They  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God  "  (Rom. 
8:8):  now  if  they  sing  that  which  the  congregation 
cannot  take  part  in,  where  is  the  worship  on  the  part  of 
the  congregation?  Then  when  the  minister  prays,  if 
the  congregation  do  not  in  their  hearts  endorse  every 


112     THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

petition,  where  is  the  prayer  on  their  part  ?  And  as  to 
the  preaching,  if  it  is  not  simple  enough  for  the  most 
unlearned  to  receive,  where  is  the  benefit?  When  we 
sing  let  us  sing  only  what  we  mean  with  our  whole 
hearts,  for  is  it  not  as  sinful  to  sing  a  lie  as  to  tell  a 
lie  ?  When  we  pray  let  us  ask  for  what  we  really  want 
for  God's  glory,  and  expect  to  receive  it.  And  when 
we  speak  let  us  hear  the  word  at  God's  mouth  and  give 
them  warning  from  him;  or  when  we  hear  let  us  de- 
sire to  hear  only  what  God  has  to  say  to  us  and  not  the 
opinions  of  men.  As  to  the  offering,  which  is  as  much 
a  part  of  the  worship  as  the  prayer  or  praise  or  preach- 
ing, here  is  the  Spirit's  guidance.  "  Every  man  accord- 
ing as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart,  so  let  him  give ;  not 
grudgingly  or  of  necessity :  for  God  loveth  a  cheerful 
giver.'  "  Of  every  man  that  giveth  it  willingly  with 
his  heart  shall  ye  take  my  offering  "  (2  Cor.  9:7;  Ex. 
25  :  2).  Let  me  think  of  myself  as  an  individual  wor- 
shipper, whether  in  pulpit  or  pew,  what  is  my  aim, 
what  my  motive?  The  only  proper  aim  is  to  glorify 
God,  to  exalt  him,  to  make  him  known  ;  the  motive,  the 
love  of  Christ  constraining;  the  motto,  "Unto him  who 
loved  me  and  washed  me  from  my  sins  in  his  own  blood  " 
(Rev.  1:5);  the  power,  his  Spirit  who  dwelleth  in  me. 
I  go  to  the  house  of  God,  persistently  shutting  out  the 
world  and  worldly  things,  that  I  may  praise  him,  talk 
with  him,  hear  him  talk  to  me,  and  thus  commune  with 
him.  Is  it  time  to  sing?  then  I  am  to  sing  with  my 
whole  heart  unto  the  Lord.  Is  it  time  to  pray  ?  then 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.      113 

I  am  to  make  my  soul's  desire  known  to  him  with 
thanksgiving.  Is  it  time  to  speak  or  hear  ?  then  I  am 
to  speak  his  word,  or  watch  to  see  what  he  (not  the 
speaker)  will  say  unto  me  or  in  me.  Is  it  time  for  the 
offering?  then  I  am  to  give  unto  him  with  a  willing 
and  grateful  heart,  such  an  offering  as  I  would  not  be 
ashamed  to  place  in  his  own  hand ;  he  knowing  what 
he  has  given  to  me,  how  much  I  am  reserving  for  my- 
self, and  how  much*  I  ought  cheerfully  to  give  unto 
him.  In  all  this  there  is  not  the  slightest  room  for  the 
flesh,  or  for  the  praise  of  man  ;  it  is  from  beginning  to 
end,  "  Unto  him,"  because  of  his  love  to  me,  and  in  the 
power  of  his  Spirit.  This,  and  nothing  less  than  this, 
is,  as  far  as  I  can  learn  from  the  Scriptures,  worship- 
ping the  Father  in  Spirit  and  in  Truth. 

In  reference  to  witnessing,  we  must  look  unto  him 
who  is  "  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  witness  "  (Rev. 
3  :  14),  whose  life  was  the  light  of  men.  He  who  was 
the  Light  of  the  world  says  to  us  who  believe  in  him, 
"  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world."  We  are  to  walk  as 
he  walked,  to  reproduce  his  life  in  these  mortal  bodies. 
As  there  can  be  no  life  or  light  without  something  being 
consumed,  so  we  must  be  willing  to  present  our  bodies 
a  living  sacrifice  that  the  Spirit  may  consume  us  with 
earnest  desire  for  the  glory  of  God.  Not  our  own  will 
or  pleasure  or  glory,  but  in  all  things  the  will,  the 
pleasure,  the  glory  of  God.  With  such  lives  we  shall 
be  qualified  to  speak  of  him,  and  be  bearers  of  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  kingdom  to  others  who  have  not  yet 
8 


114     THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

heard  the  gospel.  A  witness  must  be  able  to  say,  "  J 
know,"  "  I  am  fully  persuaded,"  "  I  speak  that  which  I 
know  and  testify  that  which  I  have  seen  "  (2  Tim.  1  • 
12;  Rom.  4 :  21  ;  John  3:  11;  1  John  1  :  1-3),  and 
he  must  be  ready  also  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the  truth, 
to  be  a  u  martyr,"  for  such  is  the  word  for  "  witness  " 
(Rev.  2  :  13).  Jesus  testified  of  the  necessity  of  being 
born  from  above ;  the  necessity  of  being  willing  to  for- 
sake all  for  him ;  the  necessity  of  being  willing  to  suffer 
with  him,  denying  self  and  bearing  the  cross  daily  ;  the  ' 
necessity  of  living  here  for  the  sake  of  the  good  we  may 
do  in  his  Name,  separating  ourselves  from  the  world. 
He  taught  that  at  death  the  believer  goes  out  into  con- 
scious happiness,  the  unbeliever  into  conscious  torment, 
and  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  exchanging  places 
after  death,  that  the  ungodly  dying  in  their  sins  can- 
not reach  the  place  of  the  blest.  He  taught  that  we  are 
not  rewarded  for  our  works  at  death,  but  at  the  resur- 
rection of  the  just.  He  taught  that  he  will  come  again 
in  power  and  great  glory,  and  that  then  will  be  the 
restoration  and  redemption  of  Israel.  He  taught  us  to 
watch  constantly  for  his  return,  expecting  him  any  hour. 
If  we  are  to  be  his  witnesses,  filled  with  his  Spirit,  we 
must  continue  to  reiterate  all  that  he  taught,  not  pmit- 
ting  a  single  truth.  He  did  not  teach  that  his  coming 
meant  death,  or  that  the  kingdom  is  the  church,  and 
that  the  kingdom  has  come:  but  he  did  teach  that  his 
coming  meant  "  not  to  die,"  and  that  the  kingdom  is 
postponed  till  his  return  (John  21  :  22,  23;  Luke  19: 
11-15). 


THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING.     115 

From  all  this  we  can  see  that  to  worship  God  in 
Spirit  and  Truth,  and  to  be  a  faithful  witness,  requires 
more  power  than  mortal  man  was  ever  possessed  of,  and 
were  it  not  that  the  power  for  this  life  and  testimony  is 
placed  by  God  within  reach  of  all  we  might  well  de- 
spair of  ever  attaining  to  it.  "  Tarry  until  ye  be  en- 
dued with  power  from  on  high  : "  "  Ye  shall  receive 
power,  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me"  (Luke 24:  49;  Acts 
1  :  8),  were  some  of  his  last  words  to  those  who  had 
been  with  him  for  three  years ;  and  if  they  needed  this 
power  who  had  seen  him  face  to  face  and  had  already 
wrought  miracles  in  his  name,  how  much  more  do  we  ? 
To  show  how  ready  he  is  to  bestow  this  gift  he  has 
said,  "  If  ye  then  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  to  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your 
Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him?  "(Luke  11  :  13). 

If  any  should  still  ask,  "  How  may  I  obtain  it  ?  "  I 
should  say,  Importunately  seek  it  with  your  whole  heart 
for  his  glory,  and  not  for  any  selfish  end  ;  be  willing  to 
be  emptied  and  cleansed  that  he  may  fill  you,  and  if 
you  fear  you  are  not  willing,  ask  him  to  make  you  will- 
ing :  remember  that  it  is  written,  "  We  who  live  are 
always  delivered  unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life 
also  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal 
flesh"  (2  Cor.  4:  11),  and  therefore  take  delight  in 
every  opportunity  to  mortify  the  flesh.  Cling  in  help- 
lessness as  Jacob  with  his  thigh  out  of  joint  clung  to 


116     THE  SPIRIT  FOR  WORSHIP  AND  WITNESSING. 

the  mighty  One.  Watch  as  intently  as  Elisha  watched 
Elijah  before  they  were  separated.  When  any  one  thus 
seeks  with  the  whole  heart  to  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  for  the  Glory  of  God  they  shall  surely  be  filled ; 
learn  to  worship  God  in  Spirit  and  Truth,  and  become 
faithful  witnesses. 

Let  no  one  say,  It  is  not  for  me,  or  It  will  cost  too 
much ;  you  are  not  your  own,  and  you  are  commanded 
to  be  filled  with  the  Spirit  (Eph.  5:18);  if  you  refuse, 
you  are  disobedient  and  the  loss  you  will  never  know 
till  it  is  too  late  to  regain  it.  Let  each  one  say,  "  I  am 
thine,  0  Lord."  "  I  yield  fully  unto  thee."  "  Make 
me  a  vessel  meet  for  thy  service."  Take  the  blessing 
by  faith  and  go  forth  in  his  Name. 


XI. 

THE   SPIRIT   IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD. 

W.  J.  ERDMAN. 

HHHE  so-called  Christian  world  is  full  of  religious 
-*-  "  views,"  vagaries  of  doctrine,  revelations  and  in- 
terpretations, all  professedly  received  from  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  is  there  any  test  whereby  to  decide  the  reality  of 
the  Spirit's  presence  and  action  ? 

In  answer,  the  subject  is  at  present  limited  to  the  re- 
lation of  the  Spirit  to  the  Word,  as  to  doctrine,  morals, 
and  leading  in  life  and  service. 

It  is  evident,  from  a  comparison  of  the  two  exhorta- 
tions, each  allied  to  a  similar  context,  "  Be  filled  with 
the  Spirit,"  Eph.  5  :  18,  and,  "Let  the  word  of  Christ 
dwell  in  you  richly,"  Col.  3:  16,  that  neither  the 
Spirit  alone,  nor  the  Word  alone  is  enough.  The  Spirit, 
however,  with  but  little  truth  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
believer  is  effective  in  life  and  in  service,  while  much 
truth — yea,  all  truth,  without  the  Spirit,  remains  but  a 
dead  letter.  True  is  the  warning  and  greatly  to  be 
heeded  concerning  the  danger  of  "traffic  in  unfelt 
truth." 

The  Spirit  enlightens  to  understand  the  Word ;  the 
Word  tests  the  professed  action  of  the  Spirit.  The  gift 

117 


118   THE  SPIRIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD. 

of  " discerning  of  spirits"  must  now  be  substituted  by 
the  knowledge  of  the  Word ;  an  Aquila  and  Priscilla 
may  take  aside  and  expound  unto  an  eloquent  Apollos 
the  way  of  God  more  perfectly. 

I.   AS  TO  DOCTRINE. 

a.  How  to  test  all  teaching:  Christ  Jesus  the  touch- 
stone. 1  Cor.  12:  3,  negatively,  "  No  man  speaking  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  calleth  Jesus  accursed"  (anathema),  a 
deceiver,  an  impostor,  one  who  justly  was  put  to  death 
for  blasphemous  claims  of  divinity  and  Messiahship ; 
positively,  "  And  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord, 
but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  Scripture  decides  con- 
cerning the  truth  of  much  religious  teaching  and  ex- 
perience of  the  present  day.  It  is  stated  again  in  1  John 
4 :  1-3,  which  gives  the  key  to  1  John  2 :  20,  27. 
The  readers  of  this  epistle  had  the  Holy  Spirit,  indeed, 
not  to  dispense  with  the  teaching  of  John,  or  of  any  in- 
spired or  enlightened  man,  but  in  order  to  understand 
what  John  wrote,  even  that  the  historic  Jesus  was  none 
other  than  the  Life  Eternal.  Tn  him  as  such  they  were 
to  abide,  and  as  such  to  know  they  had  received  the 
unction  from  the  Holy  One ;  the  Spirit,  the  all  illumin- 
ing oil  from  Christ.  Not  so  to  abide  in  Christ,  but  to 
go  forward,  progress  (not  transgress  2  John  9),  was  the 
characteristic  of  deceivers — anti-christs  ;  and  what  a  test 
of  teaching  is  this  word  "progresses"  in  this  present 
time  of  progressive,"  "broad,"  "liberal"  theology. 

6.  How  tn  learn  the  true  teaching:  Jesus  illustrates 
the  Spirit's  method  and  law  of  learning. 


THE  SPIRIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD.    119 

Compare  concerning  the  sufferings,  death,  burial  and 
resurrection  of  Christ  the  word  "  teach  "  in  Mark  8:31 
and  k'shew"  in' Matt.  16:  21.  Jesus  brought  together 
predictions  and  types  of  the  Old  Testament,  pointing 
them  out,  and  so  taught  the  disciples.  Paul's  "  prov- 
ing "  in  Acts  9 :  22  signifies  a  demonstrating,  a  prov- 
ing by  joining  together  the  old  Scriptures  concerning 
the  Messiah,  and  so  arriving  at  the  infallible  conclusion. 
The  rnuch-praised  Baconian,  inductive  method,  is  no 
new  thing ;  the  Bible  is  always  ahead.  Compare  also 
"•  the  opening  and  alledging  "  of  Acts  17:3. 

To  this  method  of  study,  to  this  concentering  of  all 
scattered  rays  into  a  focus,  the  Spirit  of  God  has  prom- 
ised his  presence  and  guidance  :  "  In  thy  light  we  shall 
see  light." 

And  the  word  "  guide  " — show  flie  way,  or  lead  in 
the  way — found  but  twice  in  the  New  Testament,  gives 
an  additional  hint.  Jesus  said  of  the  Spirit,  "  He  will 
guide  you  into  or  in  all  the  truth  " — i.  e.,  concerning 
himself,  the  Truth,  John  16  :  21,  and  the  illustration  is 
given  in  Philip,  when  the  Eunuch  of  Ethiopia  replied, 
"  How  can  I,  except  some  man  should  guide  me  ?  " 
Acts  8:  26-40. 

No  word  has  been  of  such  a  help  in  the  study  of  the 
Bible  as  the  word  "again,"  found  in  Matt.  4  :  7,  where 
Jesus  answers  the  Devil's  quotation  of  Scripture  with, 
"  It  is  written  again."  That  word  holds  the  balances  of 
divine  truth  ;  it  is  the  corrective  of  all  theory ;  it  is  the 
clinch  of  all  statement.  Suppose  a  certain  doctrine  to 


120   THE  SPIRIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE 

be  provable  by  seven  texts.  One  man  knowing  only 
four  may  indeed  have  hold  of  the  doctrine,  but  it  will 
be  in  disproportioned  shape ;  even  six  will  set  forth  a 
defective  statement ;  all  seven  are  needed  to  present  the 
truth  in  full  and  rounded  form. 

Another  danger  besetting  the  study  and  application 
of  the  Word  is  the  insertion  into  the  text  or  collection 
of  passages  of  some  unwarranted  inference  or  conclusion 
in  the  interest  of  some  supposed  lack  of  harmony  or  con- 
sistence of  teaching.  It  is  better  to  wait  until  the  har- 
mony is  created  by  the  Spirit  in  his  own  marvellous  way. 

How  many  have  made  shipwreck  of  the  faith  by  mis- 
taking certain  fanciful,  visionary  "signs"  and  halluci- 
nations as  the  work  and  suggestion  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  Truth. 

M.   AS  TO  MORALS. 

The  Spirit  never  leads  one  to  transgress  fundamental 
law.  He  never  urges  one  or  suggests  to  one  to  commit 
murder,  theft,  adultery,  to  offer  up  human  sacrifices, 
to  steal  or  borrow  money — never  intending  to  repay 
until  such  time  as  the  Spirit  again  may  suggest,  to  be 
allied  to  "affinities"  and  "spiritual  wives;"  no  mat- 
ter what  seeming  signs  and  wonders,  or  visions  and 
voices  may  appear  to  attest  all. 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  holy,  and  his  fruit  holy,  Galat. 
5:  18. 

III.   AS  TO  LEADING  IN  DAILY  LIFE  AND  SERVICE. 

There  is  no  "  Urim  and  Thummim  "  now ;  no  voices 
and  visions  external  to  instruct ;  only  suggestions  and 


THE  SPIEIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD.    121 

convictions  internal.  But  no  rule  can  one  lay  down 
for  others.  Each  has  his  own  secret  with  the  Lord, 
and  it  is  best  not  always,  if  ever,  to  say  to  others,  The 
Lord  led  me ;  the  Lord  sent  me.  The  Lord  has  too 
often  thereby  been  charged  with  folly.  The  Word,  and 
often  also  common  sense,  must  confirm  and  verify  the 
secret  suggestion.  There  do  come  times  and  occasions 
when  it  is  most  meet  to  declare  how  the  Lord  led  one, 
but  silence  also  has  its  times. 

1.  No  one  should  try  to  run  the  experiences  of  others 
into  the  mould  of  his  own.     The  very  presence  of  the 
Spirit  is  not  manifested  in  all  and  through  all  alike.  To 
some,  as  Mr.  Finney  himself  said,  the  Spirit's  coming 
or   manifestation  is   like  the   slowly  opening  dawn,  to 
others  like  a  burst  of  sunlight  through  rifted  clouds  at 
noonday ;  to  some  like  the  gentle  dew,  to  others  like  a 
storm  and  tempest  of  rain.     The  pouring  of  the  love  of 
God  into  our  hearts  as  Father  is  often,  if  not  always,  ' 
the  first  or  positive  manifestation  of  the  Spirit ;  it  is  pre- 
cedent to  or  at  least  concomitant  with  "  the  enduement 
of  power." 

2.  The  Spirit  controls  events,  and  therefore  desires  us 
to  "redeem  the  time,"  Eph.  5:  16,  i.  e.,  study  oppor- 
tunities  for   ministry,  monopolize   occasions,  "make   a 
corner  "  of  times  and  providences. 

All  this  implies  not  a  passive,  inert  condition  of  soul, 
but  one  pliant,  adjustable,  quick-turning  like  Cher- 
ubim. 

3.  The  Spirit,  for  one  earnest,  willing  and  ready  to 


122   THE  SPIRIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD. 

serve,  prepares  for  service  in  our  ordinary  work  and 
daily  routine  of  duty.  One  does  not  need  to  be  on  the 
rack  of  inquiry  where  and  what  to  do. 

The  annals  of  Christian  ministry  abound  in  illustra- 
tions of  this  truth. 

4.  The  Spirit  will  bring  to  remembrance  ordinary 
and  extraordinary  things,  if  so  the  need  be.  But  note, 
it  says,  " Bring  to  remembrance"  The  preacher  who 
declares  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  "open  the  mouth  and 
the  Lord  will  fill  it,"  sooner  or  later  will  learn  to  his 
sorrow  that  the  Lord  fills  the  mouth  out  of  the  head, 
and  not  out  of  the  fist. 

"  Perspiration  is  not  inspiration."  "  Exposition  is 
sometimes  imposition."  Said  a  theological  teacher  to  a 
student  who  talked  of  dropping  certain  studies  and 
taking  a  "  short-cut "  to  the  ministry,  "  Young  man, 
how  much  ignorance  do  you  suppose  it  takes  to  make  a 
minister?" 

4.  Last  of  all,  in  order  to  be  sure  of  the  correctness 
of  convictions  concerning  duties  and  aifairs  domestic  or 
public,  or  in  regard  to  the  assurance  of  answers  to 
prayer,  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  try  them  by  the 
Word,  by  providences,  by  common  sense,  by  the  experi- 
ence of  other  Christians,  but  especially  is  necessary  an 
equipoise  of  mind,  a  self-em ptiedness  of  heart  an  equi- 
poise which  is  the  result  of  a  willingness  to  have  the 
will  of  God  done  either  way. 

The  soul  must  settle  down  to  a  waveless  calm,  and  so 
clearly  reflect  the  mind  of  God.  Such  equipoise  and 


THE  SPIRIT  IN  AGREEMENT  WITH  THE  WORD.    123 

mirroring  of  soul  are  certainly  implied,  as  well  as  the 
inflowing  power  of  fruitful  service,  in  the  words,  "  If 
ye  abide  in  me  and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask 
what  ye  will  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you."  John 
15:  7. 

More  than  all,  how  full  of  comfort  the  Word,  that 
when  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we 
ought,  the  Spirit  takes  up  the  case  and  makes  interces- 
sion according  to  the  will  of  God.  Rom.  8  :  26-28. 


XII. 
THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN. 

F.   M.   SIXIS,  D.D. 

THE  fact  that  "the  Baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit"— 
"  the  promise  of  the  Father  "  and  "  Special  gift  of 
the  Son  " — -follows  the  "  new  birth  " — which  Jesus,  in 
his  conversation  with  Nicodemus,  explained  as  being 
"  born  of  the  Spirit,"  and  furthermore,  that  such 
terms  as  "  Baptized  with  the  Holy  Spirit,"  "  The  Holy 
Spirit  fell  on  them,"  "  The  Holy  Spirit  came,"  "  Re- 
ceive ye  the  Holy  Spirit,"  "  The  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,"  The  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  etc.,  are 
only  applied  to  believers  in  Christ,  unite  to  invest 
with  more  than  ordinary  interest  the  topic  assigned  me — 

"THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN." 

While  the  general  statement  of  this  topic  might  war- 
rant a  wide  range  of  treatment,  it  will  be  our  aim,  as 
far  as  possible,  to  confine  ourselves  to  a  strictly  Scrip- 
tural treatment  of  it.  In  this  discussion  we  shall  con- 
fine ourselves  to  the  New  Testament ;  and  in  our  quo- 
tations shall  use  the  "  new  version  " — using  the  terms 
"  Holy  Spirit "  rather  than  the  terms  "  Holy  Ghost  "— 
as  we  believe  this  better  expresses  the  original. 
124 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        125 

The  tide  of  modorn  thought,  that  has  so  long  swept 
about  the  person  and  work  of  Christ,  seems,  on  its  re- 
turn, to  be  becoming  more  concerned  with  the  person 
and  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  From  the  Christ, 
"  the  organ  of  external  revelation,"  attention  is  being 
turned  to  the  Holy  Spirit — "  the  organ  of  internal 
revelation."  From  the  Advocate  for  us,  who  is  with 
the  Father,  Christians  are  earnestly  asking  to  know 
more  of  the  advocate  with  us,  who  is  here  among  us. 

Whatever  opinions  may  have  place  in  our  minds  as 
to  the  meaning  and  application  of  the  words  of  the 
Baptist :  "  He  that  cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I- 
.  .  .  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
with  fire  " — we  are  all  agreed  that  there  is,  at  least,  an 
implied  promise  in  these  words  of  a  richer  blessing  and 
a  far  larger  equipment  for  service  than  that  enjoyed  by 
average  Christians  to-day. 

If  the  statement  of  Bishop  Hopkins  be  accepted  as 
the  true  interpretation  of  the  Baptist's  meaning — that 
"  those  who  are  baptized  with  the  Holy  Spirit  are,  as  it 
were,  plunged  into  the  heavenly  flame,  whose  searching 
energy  devours  all  their  dross,  tin  and  base  alloy,"  then 
certainly  we  may  conclude  that  too  many,  who  have  a 
place  in  our  Churches,  like  the  disciples  at  Ephesus, 
"  have  not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any 
Holy  Spirit"  (Acts  19:  2).  And  especially  are  we 
thus  impressed  when  we  call  to  mind  our  Lord's  prom- 
ise, "  ye  shall  receive  power  when  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
come  upon  you"  (Acts  1  :  8).  If  an  endowment  of 


126        THE   HOLY  SPIRIT  AND   THE  CHRISTIAN. 

power  be  inseparable  from  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  then  surely  the  confessed  and  lamentable  absence 
of  such  power  among  us  ought  to  occasion  the  most 
serious  concern  upon  the  part  of  all  who  have  "named 
the  name  of  the  Lord." 

In  no  age,  possibly,  have  Christian  Churches  been  so 
well  equipped  for  effective  service  for  Christ  as  they  are 
now.  Like  marvelous  structures  of  ingenious  ma- 
chinery, our  churches  stand  forth — endowed  with 
wealth,  enriched  with  education,  culture  and  social  in- 
fluence— possessing  splendid  church  edifices,  elab- 
orate mugic  and  rituals,  sound  in  creeds,  confessions 
and  covenants.  And  yet,  alas  !  these  numerous  and  ad- 
mirable channels  carry  but  driveling  streams  of  that  di- 
vine energy  that  made  the  early  churches  such  centres 
of  evangelizing  power — when  they  were  composed  of 
disciples  whose  faith  stood  not  in  "  the  words  which 
man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Spirit  teach- 
eth."  The  crying  need  of  the  age  is  not  more  of  such 
churches,  or  more  or  better  appliances,  but  a  universal 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Were  this  given,  the 
church  could,  with  her  present  resources,  give  the  gos- 
pel to  the  world  within  the  next  decade. 

It  goes  without  saying,  therefore,  that  the  relation  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  Christian  is  a  most  vital  and  im- 
portant one.  For  it  is  to  such  as  are  taught  by  the 
Spirit  to  discern  things  spiritual  that  the  Christ  is  re- 
vealed, and  to  such  only.  If,  e.g.,  it  had  been  revealed 
to  Simeon  that  "  he  should  not  see  death  until  he  had 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        127 

seen  the  Lord's  Christ "  (Luke  2 :  26),  it  was  be- 
cause before  that  "  the  Holy  Spirit  was  upon  him." 

The  promise  of  Jesus  that  God  would  bestow  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  could  not  be  more  freely  made 
— indeed,  he  places  the  Father  under  obligations  of 
love,  greater  than  that  of  parental  affection,  to  do  so. 

"  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  to  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  heav- 
enly Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him"  (Luke  11:  13;  Jno.  7:  37-39).  If,  then,  we 
are  without  this  blessed  endowment,  it  is  certainly  not 
because  the  Father  is  unwilling  to  grant  it.  It  must 
be  because  we  do  not  ask  for  it.  Or  if  we  ask,  because 
we  ask  amiss. 

While  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  fall  upon 
the  church  at  large,  as  the  sunshine  falls  upon  the  plain, 
after  all  these  gifts  emphasize  the  personal  duty  and  re- 
sponsibility of  believers  as  that  sunlight  burnishes  and 
beautifies  each  separate  object  on  the  wide  plain. 

The  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  however,  are  not  the 
monopoly  of  ordained  teachers,  nor  the  special  trust  of 
the  few  gifted  ones,  but  the  priceless  gift  of  God  to  be- 
lievers as  such. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which  our  Lord  rose 
from  the  dead,  when  he  had  met  his  disciples,  and  had 
shown  them  his  hands  and  his  side,  u  the  disciples  were 
glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord ;  Jesus,  therefore,  said 
unto  them  again,  Peace  be  unto  you  ;  as  the  Father  hath 
sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you,  and  when  he  had  said 


128        THE  HOLY  SPIEIT  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN. 

this,  he  breathed  on  them,  and  said  unto  them,  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Spirit."  (Jno.  20 :  20,  23.)  Thus  Jesus 
recognized,  in  his  gift,  no  official  claim  or  ecclesiastical 
superiority.  "  He  breathed  on  them  " — the  disciples. 

So  also  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  "  they  were 
all  together  in  one  place,"  the  descending  Spirit  "  sat 
upon  each  of  them,  and  they  were  all  fitted  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  began  to  speak  with  tongues  as  the 
Spirit  gave  them  utterance."  (Acts  2 :  1-4.) 

Nor  was  this  fulfillment  of  "the  promise  of  the 
Father"  confined  to  those  from  " the  upper  room ±"  for 
even  to  those  who,  "  pricked  in  the  heart,"  cried  out 
"  what  shall  we  do  ?  "  Peter  replied,  "  Repent  ye,  and 
be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  unto  the  remission  of  your  sins,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  (Acts  2  :  37-38.) 

And  later  on,  when  Peter  and  John,  being  dismissed 
from  the  Sanhedrim,  had  related  to  "  the  company  of 
the  disciples"  what  the  chief  priests  and  elders  had 
said  unto  them,  the  record  is — "  when  they  had  prayed 
the  place  was  shaken  wherein  they  had  gathered  to- 
gether, and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  they  spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness." 
(Acts  4:  31.)  On  another  occasion,  when  before  the 
council,  Peter,  on  behalf  of  the  disciples,  bore  this  testi- 
mony— "  We  are  witnesses  of  these  things,  and  so  is  the 
Holy  Spirit,  whom  God  hath  given  to  all  them  that  obey 
him"  (Acts  5 :  32.)  After  this,  when  persecution 
had  scattered  abroad  the  church  at  Jerusalem  ("  ex- 


THE   HOLY   SPIEIT  AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        129 

cept  the  Apostles  "),  and  the  disciples  went  about  preach- 
ing the  word,  Philip  went  down  to  the  City  of  Sa- 
maria, and  so  preached  Christ  there  that  "  the  multi- 
tudes gave  heed  to  his  testimony,"  and  "  the  city  was 
filled  with  joy."  The  news  of  this  wonderful  work 
soon  reached  the  Apostles  at  Jerusalem,  and  they  sent 
Peter  and  John  down  to  Samaria,  "who,  when  they 
were  come  down,  prayed  for  them,  that  they  might  re- 
ceive the  Holy  Spirit.  .  .  .s  then  laid  they  their  hands  on 
them,  and  they  (the  Samaritans)  received  the  Holy 
Spirit"  (Acts  8:  18). 

By  the  laying  on  of  Ananias'  hands  Saul  received 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

Peter  testifies  respecting  Cornelius  and  his  household, 
"  As  I  began  to  speak  the  Holy  Spirit  fell  on  them,  even 
as  on  us  at  the  beginning"  (Acts  11 :  15).  This  state- 
ment he  reiterates  before  the  Apostles  and  brethren  at 
Jerusalem  {Acts  15:8,  9).  So  also  Paul  bestowed  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  "twelve  brethren" 
whom  he  found  at  Ephesus.  (Acts  19:  6.) 

Thus  upon  those  who  "  believed  the  testimony  of 
God  to  his  Son  "  was  this  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  given 
— and  that,  too,  not  for  the  comfort  and  happiness  of 
those  who  thus  received  it,  but  for  witness — testimony — 
service. 

God  makes  no  gifts  to  us,  much   less  does  he  give 

us  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  a  mere  selfish  luxury.     The 

Spirit's  gift  is  one  of  life  and  power,  and  these  are  for 

use,  and  not  for  personal  gratification  merely.     With 

9 


130       THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND   THE  CHRISTIAN. 

the  privileges  of  this  gift  comes  the  most  solemn  and 
responsible  ordination  God  has  ever  given  to  man. 

No  qualification  is  so  important  or  more  practical 
to  the  Christian  as  this  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Looking  forward  to  those  coming  days  of  trial, 
when  brother  would  deliver  brother  to  death,  when  par- 
ents should  betray  children  and  children  would  perse- 
cute parents,  Jesus  said :  "  When  they  lead  you  to 
judgment  and  deliver  you  jip,  be  not  anxious  before- 
hand what  ye  shall  speak,  but  whatsoever  shall  be  given 
you  in  that  hour,  that  speak  ye,  for  it  is  not  ye  that 
speak,  but  the  Holy  Spirit."  (Mark  12:  11;  Luke 
12:  11-12.)  For  the  full  assurance  and  illustration  of 
this  promise  of  the  Master  we  have  but  to  turn  to  that 
marvelous  "gospel  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  the  book  of 
the  "Acts  of  the  Apostles." 

These  relations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  early  Chris- 
tians are  sufficient  to  illustrate  what  his  relations  are  to 
Christians  of  all  ages. 

In  applying  what  has  been  said  to  the  subject  in  hand 
let  us  consider — 

I.  What  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to  the  Christian. 

1.  Without  the  Holy  Spirit  a  Christian  would  be  an 
impossibility. 

The  Apostle  lays  down  as  unquestionable  this  state- 
ment :  "  Wherefore  I  give  you  to  understand  that  no 
man  speaking  in  the  spirit  of  God  saith  Jesus  is  ana- 
thema, and  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  Lord  but  by 
the  Holy  Spirit "  (1  Cor.  12:  13). 


THE   HOLY  SPIRIT  AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        131 

This  test  of  the  absolute  need  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  even 
in  the  full  confession  of  Jesus  Christ,  applied  to  the 
Corinthian  Christians  no  more  fully  than  it  does  to 
Christians  now.  This  statement  of  Paul  is  thus  reaf- 
firmed by  John  :  "  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  ; 
every  spir.it  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  has  come 
in  the  flesh  is  of  God ;  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth 
not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God  " 
(1  John  4 :  2).  The  Holy  Spirit  came  into  the  world, 
not  only  "  to  glorify  Christ,"  but  to  manifest  himself  in 
those  who  "  honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor  the 
Father."  I  need  not  say  this  question  is  not  one  of 
physical  ability,  but  one  of  honest,  loving  loyalty  to 
Jesus  Christ  as  Master  and  Lord.  It  is  not  the  creed 
or  ordinance  that  makes  the  Christian.  We  are  Chris- 
tians just  so  far  as  we  love,  serve  and  honor  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  we  can  do  this  only  as  we  are  taught 
and  aided  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"  Every  good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift,"  says  James, 
"  is  from  above."  Further  on  he  says,  "  Of  his  own  will 
begat  he  us  by  the  word  of  truth  "  (2  :  18).  Referring 
to  the  influence  of  the  word  in  regeneration,  Paul  says, 
"  Knowing,  brethren,  beloved  of  God,  your  election,  how 
that  our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but 
also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  much  as- 
surance; even  as  ye  know  what  manner  of  men  we  showed 
ourselves  toward  you,  for  your  sake,  and  ye  became  im- 
itators of  us  and  the  Lord ;  having  received  the  Word 
in  much  affliction,  with  joy  of  the  Holy  Spirit "  (1  Thess. 


132        THE   HOLY  SPIRIT   AND   THE  CHRISTIAN. 

1  :  5-6).  If  further  proof  be  needed  of  this  essential 
relation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  Christian,  as  the 
Quickener  of  those  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  and 
hence  of  the  fact  that,  apart  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
Christian  life  would  be  impossible,  we  have  it  in  the 
following  exhaustive  summary.  After  showing  what 
man  is  as  a  subject  of  the  "  powers  of  darkness,"  before 
he  is  made  u  meet  to  be  partaker  of  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light,"  the  Apostle  says,  "  But  when  the 
kindness  of  God  our  Saviour,  and  his  love  toward  man 
appeared,  not  by  works  done  in  righteousness,  which 
we  did  ourselves,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved 
us,  through  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  he  poured  out  upon  us  richly 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  that  being  justified 
by  his  grace  we  might  be  made  heirs  according  to  the 
hope  of  eternal  life  "  (Titus  3 :  4-7). 

Jesus  said  to  Nicodemus,  "  Except  a  man  be  born 
anew  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  This  our 
Lord  explains  thus:  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is 
flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  Spirit '' 
(John  3  :  36).  The  necessity  of  being  born  of  the 
Spirit  to  enter  upon  a  spiritual  life  is  as  necessary  as 
natural  birth  is  for  entrance  into  the  natural  life. 

2.  As  Christians  we  have  our  access  to  God  by  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

While  it  is  said  that  we  who  were  once  afar  off  were 
brought  nigh  "  in  the  blood  of  Christ,"  it  is  also  said, 
"  Through  him  (i.  e.,  Christ)  "  we  have  our  access  in 
one  Spirit  unto  the  Father"  (Eph.  2  :  18). 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.         133 

The  death  of  Christ  gave  to  all,  Jew  and  Gentile 
alike,  audience  with  a  reconciled  Father,  through  the 
merits  of  Christ.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  name 
whereby  we  can  be  saved,  because  no  man  can  come 
unto  the  Father  except  through  him.  To  the  Christ 
who  presents  us  to  God,  we  must  be  presented  by  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

"  Through  Christ  we  bring  our  message  to  the  Father 
by  the  Spirit's  aid."  "  For  the  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirm- 
ity, for  we  know  not  how  to  pray  as  we  ought,  but  the 
Spirit  himself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings 
that  cannot  be  uttered,  and  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts 
knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  he 
maketh  intercession  for  us  according  to  the  will  of 
God  "  (Rom.  8 :  26). 

If  the  petitions  we  bring  to  the  Father,  through  the 
Son,  are  acceptable,  therefore,  they  must  voice  the  inter- 
cession of  the  Holy  Spirit.  "  The  searcher  of  hearts  " 
must  find  in  our  prayers  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  for  he 
only  can  "  make  intercession  according  to  the  will  of 
God."  On  the  other  hand,  prayer  in  the  Holy  Spirit  will 
not  be  denied  by  the  Father.  Jude  exhorts  us,  in  these 
words,  "  But  ye,  beloved,  building  up  yourselves  on 
your  most 'holy  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  keep 
yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life  "  (20,  21). 

We  may  not  translate  "  infirmity  "  into  such  terms  as 
"  indifference,"  "  known  sin,"  and  the  like,  and  expect 
the  "  help  "  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  our  intercession  and 


134        THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN. 

prayers.  He  dwells  not  where  he  is  not  wanted.  If  he 
teaches  us  "  how  to  pray,"  if  he  reveals  unto  us  the 
things  of  the  Christ,  and  thus  makes  known  to  us  the 
will  of  God,  we  must  not  grieve  him  by  an  habitual 
neglect  of  the  word  of  God,  for  the  Holy  Spirit  honors 
the  Christ  by  honoring  his  word — through  that  divine 
word  the  divine  Spirit  reaches  the  Christian.  In  such 
things  as  hinder  those  who  earnestly  and  honestly  seek 
God's  will  in  his  word,  the  Holy  Spirit  will  give  his 
aid.  But  he  nowhere  promises  his  help  to  those  who 
refuse  compliance  with  the  terms  on  which  he  offers  his 
help. 

3.  Consider  the  Spirit's  relation  to  the  Christian  as  a 
witness.  He  does  not  bear  witness  to  the  Christian  oj 
his  conversion.  The  word  bears  that  witness.  But  the 
Spirit  does  bear  witness  to  the  believer's  adoption  or 
Sonship.  The  gospel  is  not  a  "  message  of  bondage  to 
fear,"  but  a  revelation  of  the  liberty  and  heirship  of  be- 
lievers as  the  sons  and  daughters  of  God.  To  this  tes- 
timony of  the  word  the  Holy  Spirit  adds  his  blessed 
witness. 

"  For  ye  have  received,"  says  Paul,  "  the  spirit  of 
adoption,  whereby  ye  cry,  Abba  Father,  the  Spirit 
beareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God,  and  if  children,  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and 
joint  heirs  with  Jesus  Christ"  (Rom.  8  :  15-17). 

Again,  the  Holy  Spirit  also  witnesses  to  the  presence 
of  the  Christ  in  the  believer.  "  Hereby  we  know  that 
he  abideth  in  us  by  the  Spirit  which  he  gave  us" 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.         135 

(1  Jno.  3:  24).  And  again,  "Hereby  know  we  that 
we  abide  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because  he  hath  given  us 
of  his  Spirit"  (1  Jno.  4:  13). 

So  fully  was  the  Apostle  Paul  given  up  to  the  guid- 
ance of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  he  submitted  his  conscience 
to  his  leading.  He  never  said  that  he  was  to  be  fol- 
lowed in  anything,  because  he  was  conscientious  in  what 
he  said  or  did.  What  does  he  say?  listen,  "  I  say  the 
truth  in  Christ ;  I  lie  not,  my  conscience  bearing  wit- 
ness with  me  in  the  Holy  Spirit  "  (Rom.  9:1).  Such  a 
conscience,  thus  enlightened  and  in  harmony  with  the 
truth  in  Christ,  and  with  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
any  Christian  may  follow.  But  before  we  pronounce 
upon  the  accuracy  of  the  decisions  of  our  conscience,  let 
us  be  sure  that  our  conscience  is  in  accord  with  the 
"  truth  in  Christ,"  and  the  Holy  Spirit's  infallible  wit- 
ness. 

Only  as  the  Christian  has  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  to 
his  adoption  as  a  son  of  God  will  the  kingdom  of  God 
be  anything  more  than  "  eating  and  drinking,  ordinances 
and  ceremonies,  rights  and  works,"  and  become  what  it 
really  is,  "  Righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Spirit  "(Rom.  14:  17). 

These  are  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  in  Christian  living 
that  give  forth  the  fragrance  of  grace  here,  and  will 
ripen  eventually  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ's  glory. 

4.  Let  us  dwell  a  moment  on  the  relation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  the  believer  as  "the  Comforter,"  thus 
further  showing  what  he  is  to  the  Christian.  The  send- 


136        THE    HOLY   SPIRIT   AND    THE   CHRISTIAN. 

ing  of  the  Comforter  was  to  be  more  than  a  compensa- 
tion for  the  departure  of  Jesus.  True,  they  were  not  to 
be  left  "  desolate."  "  If  I  go  not  away  the  Comforter 
will  not  come  unto  you,  but  if  I  go  away  I  will  send 
him  unto  you"  (Jno.  16:  7).  Christ  was  still  to  be 
nearer  them  even  than  he  could  be  by  his  personal 
presence ;  for  his  personal  presence  was  limited  to  local- 
ity. Whereas  when  the  Comforter  came  he  would  not 
be  restricted  by  any  such  limitation.  "  Wherever  two 
or  three  were  met  in  his  name,"  there  would  he  be  "  in 
the  midst  of  them."  He  was  to  "  abide  with  them  for- 
ever "  as  "  the  Spirit  of  Truth."  "  Moreover,"  said 
Jesus,  ".the  Comforter,  even  the  Holy  Spirit,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall  teach  you  all 
things,  and  bring  to  your  remembrance  all  things  that 
I  have  said  unto  you"  (Jno.  14  :  16-26).  As  the  di- 
vine presence  was  the  glory  of  the  Temple  of  old,  so  of 
these  regenerated  disciples,  who  were  to  be  the  Temples 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  their  glory  would  be  his  indwelling. 
If  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory  of  the  Old 
Temple  was  awful  and  glorious  in  its  outward  revela- 
tions, the  manifestation  of  the  divine  Paraclete,  in  the 
disciples  of  Christ,  was  to  be  much  more  glorious  in 
his  inner  teachings  and  blessed  consolations.  Hence 
Jesus  said,  "  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away." 
We  therefore  undervalue  these  words  of  our  Lord  when 
we  suppose  that  the  time  of  his  personal  presence 
among  his  disciples  was  the  most  favored  period  of  the 
Church's  history.  This  was  not  as  our  Lord  thought ; 


THE   HOLY  SPIEIT   AND   THE  CHRISTIAN.        137 

on  the  contrary,  he  himself  taught  us  to  look  for  the 
Comforter's  administration  as  an  advance  upon  his  min- 
istry ;  and  as  being  a  greater  blessing  to  his  people  than 
that  of  his  personal  companionship  with  them.  "Great- 
er things  than  these  shall  ye  do  because  I  go  unto  the 
Father."  The  Comforter  was  more  than  an  emanation 
from  the  Father,  or  an  indefinable  influence;  he  is  more 
than  a  principle  of  spiritual  life  in  believers ;  he  is  a 
living  person,  and  hence  we  may  not  degrade  him  into 
a  mere  abstraction  or  influence,  even  though  these  mis- 
conceptions of  his  divine  personality  be  dignified  by 
such  terms  as  "  the  enthusiasm  of  humanity"  He  is  the 
divine  Spirit  of  Truth  leading  the  believer  into  all  truth — 
the  Holy  Spirit  producing  in  those  whom  he  leads  the 
fruit  of  holiness  :ln  a  word,  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  which 
"  is  in  all  goodness  and  righteousness  and  truth  "  (Eph. 
5  :  9).  The  word  never  confounds  "  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit "  with  "  the  works  of  the  flesh  "—"fruit "  be- 
longs to  the  Spirit :  "works"  to  the  flesh.  We  need 
to  have  a  care,  therefore,  in  our  thought  of  the  person- 
ality of  the  Holy  Spirit  lest  we  lose  sight  of  his  person 
in  vague  ideas  of  him  that  maintain  a  place  in  our 
minds  by  means  of  terms  the  most  general  and  indefi- 
nite. So  also  we  need  to  have  definite  ideas  of  his 
specific  work  as  well  as  of  his  person.  It  is  the  Holy 
Spirit  who  imparts  spiritual  life,  quickens  and  sustains 
it — who  gives  strength,  implants  hope,  grants  liberty  ; 
testifies  to  and  glorifies  the  Christ ;  leads,  guides, 
teaches,  comforts,  sanctifies,  supports  and  sustains  the 


138         THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN. 

i 

believer.     As  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  faith,  and  the 

source  of  all  merit,  so  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  fountain  of 
all  spiritual  life.  Until  he  imparts  to  the  soul  spiritual 
life,  we  are  incapable  of  the  exercise  of  that  faith  that 
lays  hold  on  the  person  and  work  of  Christ  for  justifi- 
cation and  eternal  life. 

After  quoting  Isaiah  as  saying,  "  Things  which  the 
eye  saw  not,  and  ear  heard  not,  and  which  entered  not 
into  the  heart  of  man,  whatsoever  things  God  prepared 
for  those  who  loved  him,"  Paul  adds  these  words,  "  But 
unto  us  God  revealed  them  through  the  Spirit ;  for  the 
Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of 
God  "  (1  Cor.  2  :  9,  10).  This  is  certainly  an  advance 
upon  the  revelation  of  Christ's  ministry — what  Jesus 
taught  the  Holy  Spirit  makes  to  be'  understood.  In- 
deed, the  advent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  final  and  most 
glorious  manifestation  of  God  that  will  be  granted  the 
world,  or  the  Church,  until  his  dispensation  will  be 
superseded  by  the  Second  Advent  of  our  Lord  as  the 
"  King  of  Saints." 

When  the  care  of  the  Churches  so  weighed  upon  the 
great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  as  to  press  him  to  his 
knees  upon  the  cold  stone  floor  of  his  Roman  prison  — 
when  his  heart  was  bleeding  at  the  thought  of  the  trials 
of  their  faith,  with  hands  that  moved  slowly  because  of 
the  chains  that  bound  them,  he  traced  in  letters  of  cheer 
and  instruction,  such  words  as  these,  punctuated  by  his 
tears,  "  For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father 
.  .  .  that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.       139 

of  his  glory,  that  ye  may  be  strengthened  with  power 
through  his  Spirit  in  the  inward  man  "  (Eph.  3  :  14-16). 
Such  was  the  help  which  the  apostle  sought  from  the 
Comforter  for  his  brethren.  Such  is  the  comfort  we 
all  need,  and  this  help  the  Comforter  has  for  us  also. 

Thus  the  Christian  who  is  chosen  "  according  to  the 
foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  in  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit,  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ"  (1  Peter  1  :  2),  who  enters  the  king- 
dom of  God  by  being  "  born  of  the  Spirit,"  and  who  is 
''washed,  sanctified  and  justified  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Spirit  of  our  God  "  (1 
Cor.  6:  11),  must,  "through  the  Spirit,  by  faith,  wait 
for  the  hope  of  the  righteous  "  (Gal.  5  :  5). 

Having  considered  what  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to  the 
Christian,  let  us 

II.  Consider  what  the  Holy  Spirit  does  for  the  Chris- 
tian. 

Being,  by  the  grace  of  God,  made  partakers  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  we  become  the  special  objects  of  the  Holy 
Spirit's  love,  care  and  culture.  And  since  our  love  for 
God,  and  God's  love  for  us,  are  in  a  sense  reciprocal — 
for  "  we  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us,"  and  because 
"  God  is  love,"  and  because  "  he  that  abideth  in  love 
abideth  in  God,  and  God  in  him"  (1  Jno.  4:  16) — the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  first  awakens,  also  develops  this  love 
for  God  in  us ;  "  because,"  says  Paul,  "  the  love  of  God 
hath  been  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  through  the  Holy 
Spirit  which  was  given  unto  us  "  (Rom  5  :  5).  As  an 


140       THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN. 

illustration  of  this,  you  may  remember  how  Epaphras 
refreshed  Paul  when  he  declared  unto  him  "  the  love  in 
the  Spirit "  of  the  brethren  at  Colosse. 

The  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  thus  awakening  in 
us  the  highest  possible  form  of  love,  is  absolutely  indis- 
pensable. Grant  that  the  natural  affections  are  the  soil 
out  of  which  this  love  of  the  Christian  for  God  is  pro- 
duced. Yet,  such  a  love  can  be  grown  out  of  such  a 
soil  only  as  it  is  quickened  by  the  warmth  and  showers 
of  the  Spirit's  influence.  Natural  affections  may  be  the 
ties  that  bind  into  a  society  unity,  individuals,  families 
and  tribes ;  but  the  love  that  binds  us  to  God  and  his 
Son  is  the  fruit  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  natures  such  as 
ours  the  love  of  God  is  an  exotic, — it  must  not  only  be 
planted  in  our  hearts,  but  also  sustained  there  by  the 
Holy  Spirit's  personal  care. 

But  again,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  also  the  dispenser  of  the 
Christian's  joy,  peace  and  hope  in  the  service  of  the 
Christ.  Hear  the  Apostle,  as  he  prays  for  his  brethren 
at  Rome — "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  joy  and 
peace  in  believing  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope  in  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit"  (Rom.  15  :  13).  The  same 
blessed  Spirit  that  quickened  the  Ephesian  believers — 
the  same  "Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus"  which  made 
the  Apostle  "  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death" — this 
same  Spirit  quickens,  emancipates  and  enfranchises  every 
Christian  who  is  made  a  Son  of  God. 

The  eighth  of  Romans  is  the  Magna  Charta  of  every 
enfranchised  believer  who  "  walks  not  after  the  flesh, 


THE   HOLY  SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        141 

but  after  the  Spirit."  The  Apostle  insists  that  "  if  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  us,"  that  such  "  are  not  in  the 
.flesh"  And  while  he  boldly  affirms:  "  If  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his" — he 
as  boldly  declares  that  "  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spir- 
it of  God,  they  are  the  Sons  of  God  "  (Rom.  8  :  14). 

It  is  not,  therefore,  by  one  or  two  acts  good  or  bad 
that  the  Christian  is  to  be  judged,  but  by  the  consis- 
tency and  character  of  his  life.  "  Enoch  walked  with 
God  " — thus  our  walk  must  be  the  evidence  to  the  world 
that  we  are  led  by  the  Spirit. 

There  are  acts  in  the  lives  of  unregenerate  men  and 
women  that  are  worthy  of  all  commendation.  So  in 
the  lives  of  Christians  there  may  be,  unfortunately,  acts 
as  unchristian  as  the  sin  of  David  or  the  denial  of 
Peter,  or,  to  quote  old  Swinnock — "  Sheep  may  fall  into 
the  mire ;  but  swine  love  day  and  night  to  wallow  in 
it."  Yes,  a  Christian  may  stumble  and  fall,  but  he  is 
soon  up  again,  and  following  the  leading  of  the  Spirit. 
His  heart  temples  the  Holy  Spirit,  his  life  is  a  redeemed 
one,  and  his  living  will  show  this  as  true,  nevertheless, 
that  he  is  dead  to  the  law — that  he  has  been  crucified 
with  Christ,  and  risen  with  him  to  that  new  life  which 
he  lives ;  and  "  yet  no  longer  I,"  as  Paul  says,  "  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me,  and  that  life  which  I  now  live  in 
the  flesh  I  live  in  faith — the  faith  which  is  in  the  Son 
of  God,  who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  up  for  me  " 
(Gal.  2 :  20). 

One  other  service  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  Christian 
I  linger  a  moment  to  simply  mention — 


142        THE   HOLY  SPIRIT   AND  THE  CHRISTIAN. 

After  saying  that  the  end  of  the  believer's  faith  is  "  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  Christ,"  the  Apostle  adds :  "  In 
whom  having  also  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  un- 
to the  redemption  of  God's  own  possession,  unto  the 
praise  of  his  glory  "  (Eph.  1:13,  14).  This  sealing  of 
the  believer,  you  observe,  follows  his  acceptance  of  the 
gospel  of  salvation. 

But  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  is  also  the  earnest  of  the 
inheritance  which  the  Christ,  by  his  death,  acquired  for 
the  believer,  or,  in  other  words,  is  the  divine  guarantee 
of  its  ultimate  possession.  But  in  the  mean  time,  by 
his  indwelling  power,  the  Holy  Spirit  renews,  sanctifies, 
leads,  keeps  and  comforts  the  heir,  thus  preparing  him 
for  that  inheritance  which  Christ  has  secured  to  him. 

"  He  that  established!  us  with  you  in  Christ,"  says 
Paul,  "  and  anointed  us,  is  God ;  who  also  sealed  us, 
and  gave  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts " 
(2  Cor.  1 :  21,  22).  As  the  preceding  sealing  was  for  se- 
curity, so  the  preceding  "  anointing  "  was  for  service.  If 
Christians  are  a  sealed  people,  they  are  also  a  devoted  peo- 
ple. As  the  sealing  makes  him  safe  in  this  inheritance, 
so  the  earnest  guarantees  to  him  the  ultimate  realization 
of  the  hope  he  has  in  Jesus  Christ.  "  For  he  that  hath 
wrought  us  for  this  Very  thing  is  God,  who  gave  unto 
us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit"  (2  Cor.  6  :  5). 

However  diverse  or  various  may  be  the  gifts  of  God's 
people,  they  have  one  common  origin — "  the  same  Spir- 
it"—or,  however  different  the  manifestations  of  the 


THE   HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  THE  CHRISTIAN.        143 

Spirit  may  be  to  different  persons,  the  end  is  the  same  : 
"to profit  withal" 

Having  thus  indicated  1 — what  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to 
the  Christian,  and  2 — what  he  does  for  the  Christian,  let 
us  inquire — 

III.   What  the  Christian  is  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  is  evident  that  redeemed 
men  and  women  are  not  their  own,  and  furthermore, 
that  they  are  the  special  subjects  of  the  Holy  Spirit's 
love  and  guidance.  '  What  the  Apostle  said  of  the 
Ephesian  believers  is  just  as  true  of  believers  now: 
"Ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  sojourners,  but  ye  are 
fellow-citizens  with  the  saints  and  of  the  household  of 
God,  being  built  upon  the  foundation  of  Apostles  and 
prophets,  Christ  Jesus  himself  being  the  chief  corner- 
stone, in  whom  each  several  building,  fitly  framed  to- 
gether, groweth  into  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord  ;  in  whom 
ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a  habitation  of  God  in 
the  Spirit"  (Eph.  2:  19-22).  As  believers  we  are 
each  a  part  of  the  household  of  God,  members  of  the 
redeemed  family;  and  as  such  the  Holy  Spirit  evi- 
dently regards  us.  But  again — "  Know  ye  not  that 
your  bodies  are  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is 
in  you,  which  you  have  from  God  ?  and  ye  are  not  your 
own,  for  ye  were  bought  with  a  price ;  glorify  God, 
therefore,  in  your  body"  (1  Cor.  6  :  19-20). 

Now,  in  so  far  as  the  Holy  Spirit  appreciates  the  value 
of  the  price  paid  for  our  redemption,  may  we  not  infer 
that  to  that  degree  will  the  purchase  of  that  infinite 


144       THE   HOLY  SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN. 

price  be  precious  in  his  .sight?  Our  acceptance  of 
Christ  carries  with  it  not  only  our  devotion  to  his  ser- 
vice, but  likewise  our  submission  to  the  love  and  gui- 
dance of  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  Ananias,  who  kept  back 
part  of  the  price  of  his  land,  "  lied  unto  the  Holy  Spir- 
it/' what  shall  be  thought  of  the  sin  of  him  who,  hav- 
ing devoted  himself  and  all  he  has  to  God,  takes  it 
back  in  part  or  in  whole,  that  he  may,  as  James  says, 
"spend  it  in  his  pleasures?"  Brethren,  when  we  call 
to  mind  the  fact  that  as  believers  we  are  "  the  epistles  of 
Christ,  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the 
living  God"  (2  Cor.  3:  3),  ''What  manner  of  per- 
sons ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy  living  and  godliness  ?  " 
(2  Peter  3:  11). 

In  closing,  allow  mention  to  be  made  of  some  lessons 
suggested  by  this  imperfect  discussion. 

1.  Every  visitation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  every  gift 
of  his  grace  should  be  prayerfully  cherished  and  en- 
couraged. 

"  That  good  thing  which  was  committed  unto  thec, 
guard  through  the  Holy  Spirit  which  dwelleth  in  us  " 
(2  Tim.  1:14).  "  Stir  up  the  gift  of  God,  which  is  in 
thee,  by  the  laying  on  of  my  hands"  (2  Tim.  1 :  6).  If 
such  exhortations  were  appropriate  to  Timothy,  surely 
we  ought  to  take  heed  to  this  grace  which  has  been  be- 
stowed upon  us  also.  And  even  more  appropriate  to 
us,  and  to  our  times,  certainly,  are  these  words  of  Paul 
to  his  "Son  in  the  gospel,"  that  breathe  for  his  wel- 
fare a  concern  so  affectionate  and  earnest :  "O  Timothy, 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        145 

guard  that  which  is  committed  to  thee,  turning  away 
from  the  profane  babblings  and  oppositions  of  the 
knowledge  which  is  falsely  so  called ;  which  some  pro- 
fessing have  erred  concerning  the  faith "  (1  Tim.  6  : 
20,  21). 

2.  If  we  would  be  guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  must 
"  walk  in  the  Spirit"  and  to  do  this  we  must  "  live  in  the 
Spirit." 

Such  a  life  is  inseparable  from  conflict :  u  For  the 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit  and  the  Spirit  against 
the  flesh."  It  is  impossible  that  it  be  otherwise,  "  for 
these  "  (i.e.,  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit)  "  are  contrary  the 
one  to  the  other"  (Gal.  5  :  7).  We  can  choose  which 
of  these  two  lives  shall  be  ours,  and  we  must  choose 
and  we  do  choose — we  can't  live  both  lives.  Alas,  that 
so  few  find  and  so  many  seem  not  to  learn  that  con- 
formity to  the  world  is  rebellion  against  the  Holy 
Spirit !  Alas  for  Christianity  that  more  Christians  are 
not  transformed  (or  literally),  transfigured  by  the  Holy 
Spirit's  indwelling  !  Say  what  we  will,  the  love  of  the 
world  and  the  pride  of  life  and  the  lusts  of  the  flesh 
will  be  cast  out  of  us  only  as  we  are  "  filled  with  the 
Spirit." 

3.  Let  us  understand  our  duties  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  faithfully  perform  them  as  in    the   fear   of  God. 
"  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  in  whom  ye  were 
sealed   unto   the   day   of  redemption"    (Eph.   4:  30). 
Need  I  say  that  these  words  of  caution  and  command 
demand    our   most   prayerful  and   constant  attention  ? 

10 


146        THE    HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN. 

"We  need  the  use  of  no  pessimistic  spectacles  to  see  in 
our  own  lives,  and  in  the  lives  of  many  Christians  about 
us,  too  much  that  must  and  does  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God.  Nor  would  I  be  overstating  a  truth  which, 
doubtless,  they  feel  most  deeply  who  live  most  closely 
to  God,  were  I  to  add,  that  until  the  living  of  Chris- 
tians is  more  fully  submitted  to  the  leading  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  we  shall  look  and  labor  in  vain  for  such  a  revi- 
val in  the  churches  as  our  needs  demand.  Let  us  re- 
member these  words,  "  God  hath  called  us  not  for  un- 
cleanness,  but  in  sanctification  ;  therefore,  he  that 
rejecteth,  rejecteth  not  man,  but  God  "  (1  Thess.  4  :  7, 
8).  Sins,  even  in  Christians,  may  change  their  dress 
and  their  names,  and  yet  be  just  as  hateful  to  God. 
Under  the  deception  of  "  prudent  economy "  we  may 
disguise  a  covetousness  as  odious  in  God's  sight  as  the 
grossest  idolatry.  Under  the  masks  of  business,  or 
social  duties,  we  may  hide  a  worldliness  as  despicable 
as  paganism.  And  under  the  pretence  of  church  benev- 
olence we  may  bring  into  the  church  of  God  entertain- 
ments that  wound  our  Lord  in  the  house  of  his  friends. 
Before  the  Holy  Spirit  can  fill  us,  or  our  churches, 
much  must  be  scourged  from  the  temples  of  our  hearts 
and  sanctuaries.  It  is  not  the  kind  of  sin  that  grieves 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  sin  of  any  kind  must  grieve  him  who 
is  himself  the  essence  of  holiness. 

Again,  we  are  warned  :  "Quench  not  the  Spirit"  (1 
Thess.  5:19).  As  the  fire  on  the  altar  may  be  so 
neglected  and  covered  up  as  to  be  left  to  smoulder  amid 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND   THE  CHRISTIAN.        147 

ashes  that  hide  its  heat  and  light,  so  may  we  quench 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  our  hearts.  "  Whatever/'  said  Dr. 
C.  S.  Robinson,  "  the  Holy  Spirit  prompts  a  true  Chris- 
tian to  do  for  the  glory  of  God,  he  allures  him  to  do  in 
a  modest  way,  and  with  a  disposition  of  indescribable 
tenderness."  Mackay  makes  this  distinction,  "Resist  " 
is  the  word  applied  to  the  unconverted ;  "  Grieve "  is 
that  applied  to  the  individual  Christian;  "Quench"  is 
that  which  has  reference  to  the  saints  when  gathered 
together  waiting  on  the  Spirit.  This  may  be  correct ; 
and  yet  the  individual  may  quench  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  his  soul  by  his  neglect  and  sins,  as  well 
as  grieve  him  by  such  things. 

The  warning  of  the  Apostolic  Seer  has  long  since 
become  history.  Looking  back  from  these  "  latter 
days,"  we  painfully  realize  the  truth  of  what  he  said  to 
Timothy  :  "  The  Spirit  saith  expressly  that  in  the  latter 
times  some  shall  fall  away  from  the  faith,  giving  heed 
to  seducing  spirits  and  doctrines  of  demons,  through  the 
hypocrisy  of  men  that  speak  lies ;  branded  in  their  own 
consciences  as  with  a  hot  iron ;  forbidding  to  marry, 
and  commanding  to  abstain  from  meats  which  God 
created  to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  by  them  that 
believe  and  know  the  truth  "  (1  Tim.  4 :  1-3.)  The 
word  of  God  not  only  thus  smites  the  pretensions  of 
spiritualism  and  the  presumptions  of  Romanism,  but, 
at  the  same  time,  exposes  the  open  and  disguised  de- 
signs of  many  another  tendency  of  our  times  to  oppose 
or  corrupt  "  the  faith  "  which  was  "  once  for  all  deliv- 


148        THE   HOLY  SPIRIT  AND   THE  CHRISTIAN. 

ered  unto  the  saints."  Let  us  not  forget  that  we  are  to 
contend  for  and  defend  "the  faith  of  Jesus,"  but  in 
doing  so  let  us  also  remember  that,  after  all,  the  best 
possible  defence  that  can  be  made  is  being  made  by 
those  whose  lives  most  closely  imitate  the  life  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  The  tongue  of  the  Christian  and  of 
the  Church  is  still  the  old  and  unanswerable  "  tongue 
of  flame  " 

"  If  ye  then  were  raised  together  with  Christ,  seek 
the  things  that  are  above,  where  Christ  is  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  God :  set  your  affections  on  things  that 
are  above ;  not  on  the  things  that  are  upon  the  earth. 
For  ye  died  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God  " 
(Col.  3 :  1-3).  And  "  insomuch  as  you  are  partakers 
of  Christ's  sufferings,  rejoice ;  that  at  the  revelation  of 
his  glory,  also,  ye  may  rejoice  with  exceeding  joy.  If 
ye  are  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ  blessed  are  ye  ; 
because  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  the  Spirit  of  God  resteth 
upon  you"  (1  Pet.  4:  13,  14). 

On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  said  William  Arthur : 
"  Christianity  faced  the  world — a  new  religion,  without 
a  history,  without  a  priesthood,  a  college,  without  a 
people — without  a  portion ;  .  .  .  her  tongue  of  fire  was 
her  sole  instrument  of  aggression."  But,  my  brethren, 
how  is  it  now?  Now,  besides  having  the  complete 
canon  of  God's  inspired  word,  we  have  almost  every- 
thing else  except  "  the  tongue  of  fire."  This  inspired 
word  needs  inspired  men  to  preach  it.  The  churches 
need  the  old  pentecostal  power  for  worship  and  witness, 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   AND   THE   CHRISTIAN.        149 

and  the  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  her  methods 
of  work  effective.  Believers  need  the  Holy  Spirit,  en- 
shrined in  the  indwelling  word,  abiding  in  them,  that 
the  divine  word,  aflame  with  the  light  and  life  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  may  transfigure  them,  and,  through  them, 
quicken  from  the  death  of  sin  to  eternal  life  them  that 
are  lost. 

Finally,  brethren :  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  love  of  God  and  the  communion 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with  you  all."  Amen. 


XIII. 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY. 

BY  BISHOP  W.  R.   NICHOI^ON,   D.D. 

THE  subject  assigned  me  is  The  Spirit  of  Prophecy. 
Shall  we  take  this  to  mean  the  characteristic 
qualities  of  prophecy,  as  when  we  speak  of  the  spirit  of 
a  book  ?  Or  shall  we  understand  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  meant?  Practically  what  is  the  difference?  If  we 
investigate  the  characteristics  of  prophecy,  it  is  no  other 
than  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  we  shall  be  consider- 
ing, since  he,  the  author  of  prophecy,  has  made  it  just 
what  it  is.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  fix  attention  di- 
rectly on  the  Holy  Spirit  as  self-revealed  in  prophecy, 
the  qualities  of  his  work  therein  are  what  must  be  ex- 
amined. The  difference  is  not  material.  Forasmuch, 
however,  as  the  object  in  view  of  this  conference  is  to 
identify,  venerate  and  glorify  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  shall 
interpret  our  subject  as  if  it  read,  The  Holy  Spirit  as 
he  is  in  Prophecy. 

Prophecy,  as  here  used,  must  have  the  meaning  it 
bears  in  common  parlance — predictive  prophecy.  Since, 
if  not  thus  restricted,  it  includes  every  subject  in  the 
Bible ;  the  prophets  having  been  teachers  of  the  whole 
revealed  will  of  God.  With  closer  accuracy,  then,  we 
150 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  151 

read  our  subject  thus,  The   Holy  Spirit  as  he  is  in  Pre- 
dictive Prophecy. 

I  shall  not  stop  to  prove  that  the  predictions  of  the 
Bible  are  genuine  miraculous  previsions  of  the  future. 
The  wealth  of  proof  on  that  point  no  drafts  of  infidelity 
can  diminish.  That  truth  I  assume  and  lay  down  as  a 
postulate.  Neither  shall  I  waste  our  time  in  adducing 
proof  of  the  Holy  Spirit  being  the  author  of  those  pre- 
dictions. The  Bible,  with  authority,  ascribes  them  to 
him,  and  common  sense  decides  that  no  human  sagacity 
could  so  have  foreseen  the  future.  This  also  we  start 
from  as  a  postulate. 

And  now  with  the  miraculous  predictions  of  the 
Spirit  before  us,  our  concern  is  reverently  to  study  him 
therein  ;  learning  something  of  his  prophetic  revelations 
and  of  our  consequent  obligations,  and  how  we  may  be- 
come yet  more  enriched  in  Christian  experience. 

In  the  first  place,  the  Holy  Spirit  in  prophecy  means 
that  we  shall  understand  him. 

This  remark  has  much  the  look  of  a  truism  ;  for 
why,  otherwise,  should  he  speak  to  us  at  all  ?  But  it 
has  been  called  in  question.  It  is  the  key  to  our  sub- 
ject; and  certainly,  for  the  honor  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
we  are  in  duty  bound  to  settle  this  question  one  way  or 
the  other. 

The  Spirit  in  prophecy  means  to  be  understood. 
Some  difficulties  there  are,  of  course,  in  the  interpreting 
of  prophecy.  We  cannot  always  make  sure  of  a  par- 
ticular application,  nor  of  a  particular  chronological 


152  THE   SPIRIT   OF    PROPHECY. 

relation.  But  we  can  make  sure,  almost  without  excep- 
tion, of  the  main  fact  predicted.  And  is  it  not  just  the 
same  as  regards  the  Gospel  itself?  That  "  by  one  man 
sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin,  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  sinned,"  is  a 
plain  statement  of  fact,  and  we  receive  it ;  but  is  there 
nothing  in  it  that  is  not  understood  ?  Who  can  thor- 
oughly explain  the  Federal  Headship  of  Adam  ?  That 
Jesus  Christ  "  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body,"  and 
made  expiation  of  sin,  is  a  declaration  clear  as  light, 
and  we  receive  it ;  but  is  there  nothing  in  it  that  is  not 
understood  ?  Who  can  convert  into  a  sunbeam  the  in- 
scrutable philosophy  of  the  Federal  Headship  of  the 
Second  Adam  ?  And  also  here  and  there  in  non-pro- 
phetic Scripture  are  there  not  even  statements  that  are 
confessedly  obscure?  But  who  is  so  presumptuous  as 
to  turn  rare  difficulties  into  universal  objections,  and 
thence  to  infer  that  all  Scripture  is  not  understandable? 
Let  prophecy  be  fairly  dealt  with.  If  there  be  the  de- 
voutly desirous  mind,  if  pains  be  taken  to  ascertain  the 
grammatical  common  sense  of  words  and  sentences,  and 
to  compare  Scripture  with  Scripture,  if  there  be  pa- 
tience, and  perseverance,  and  the  prostration  of  the  will 
at  the  feet  of  God's  will,'(then  one  shall  as  surely  know, 
in  the  main,  the  prophetic  mind  of  the  Spirit,  as  that 
the  Spirit  has  so  expressed  his  mind  at  all.  All  this, 
however,  is  no  more  than  the  Gospel  itself  requires  in 
order  to  its  being  understood. 

As  in  the  Gospel,  so  in  prophecy,  the  Spirit  speaks 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  153, 

on  purpose  to  be  understood.  He  himself  describes  it 
as  "a  lamp  shining  in  a  dark  place;"  but  what  sort  of 
a  light  is  that  by  which  we  cannot  see  ?  He  calls  it 
"  a  sure  word  of  prophecy  : "  but  how  do  words  assure 
us  if  they  give  us  not  their  meaning  ?  "  Ye  do  well/' 
he  says,  "  that  ye  take  heed  to  it : "  but  how  can  we 
heed  what  we  cannot  think  of?  The  Holy  Spirit  even 
shows  us  that  his  own  honor  is  involved  in  our  being 
able  to  understand  his  predictions :  no  prophecy,  says 
he,  ever  came  by  the  will  of  man,  but  men  spake  from 
God,  being  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  therefore  it 
is  that  prophecy  is  as  a  light  in  a  dark  place — that  is,  is 
not  a  darkening  of  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge 
(2  Pet.  1  :  19-21).  He  expressly  tells  us  the  purpose 
6f  predictive  prophecy:  "to  show  to  his  servants  the 
things  which  must  come  to  pass"  (Rev.  1:1);  but 
what  kind  of  a  showing  is  that  which  does  not  show  at 
all?  He  pronounces  a  special  blessing  upon  those 
"  who  read  and  hear  the  words  of  the  prophecy,  and 
keep  the  things  which  are  written  therein "  (Rev.  1  : 
3) ;  but  how  can  he  bless  our  reading  and  hearing  what 
we  cannot  know,  and  how^  shall  we  keep  what  we  have 
not  got  ?  So  obvious  is  it  that  the  Spirit's  predictions 
are  a  reflection  of  his  own  mind  to  our  minds,  and  that 
his  use  of  prophetic  language  is  fraught  with  a  Divine 
frankness  and  perspicuity. 

Moreover,  his  providence  in  the  past  is  a  historic 
demonstration.  Refer  to  any  prophecy  fulfilled.  Lay 
alongside  the  28th  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  the  history 


154  THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY. 

of  the  Jews  1500  years  afterwards,  more  than  3000 
years  afterwards,  and  did  ever  mirror  give  back  more 
accurately  the  face  of  the  beholder,  than  the  actual  suf- 
ferings of  that  people  the  very  words  of  the  Spirit  in 
their  plain  grammatical  sense?  He  called  Cyrus  by 
name  more  than  150  years  before  his  birth,  and  said 
that  he  would  open  before  him  the  gates  of  brass,  and 
cut  in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron,  that  he  might  deliver  the 
elect  people  from  Babylon,  and  say  to  Jerusalem,  Thou 
shalt  be  built,  and  to  the  temple,  Thy  foundation  shall 
be  laid ;  and  did  not  the  identical  Cyrus  appear  on  the 
stage  of  action  at  the  proper  time,  and  were  not  the 
things  foretold  done  to  the  very  letter?  When,  in 
words  so  many,  in  oracles  so  lofty,  all  along  the  ages  so 
vast,  the  Spirit  had  pre-written  the  life  and  doings  of 
Messiah,  did  ever  pen  of  history  record  more  exactly 
events  of  the  past  than  pen  of  prediction  events  of  the 
future?  Even  the  least  events  were  minutely  measured 
by  the  words  of  prediction,  and  were  such  an  answer  to 
the  words  as  is  a  river  to  each  little  crook  in  the  chan- 
nel ;  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  spitting,  the  scourg- 
ing, the  thirst,  the  vinegar,  and  all  the  rest,  being  as 
strictly  in  occurrence  as  they  had  been  in  prediction. 
Statements,  too,  that  might  well  have  seemed  inadvert- 
ences in  the  use  of  words — as  that  Messiah  should  die 
as  a  malefactor  and  a  slave,  an  object  of  hatred,  a  butt 
of  ridicule,  and  yet  that  he  should  have  honorable  burial 
— were  accomplished  in  every  word.  And,  O  wonder- 
ful !  the  Virgin  Motherhood — did  that  prediction  mean 


THE  SPIRIT  OF   PROPHECY.  155 

just  what  it  expressed?  A  virgin  mother!  Impossi- 
ble. Against  all  experience,  against  creation's  laws. 
And  learned  conceit  wags  its  head,  mouthing  the  criti- 
cism, Figurative,  Mystical.  Ah,  but  the  Holy  Spirit 
had  said  it,  and  in  the  simplest,  frankest  way  possible; 
and  when,  700  years  afterwards,  the  time  had  come,  a 
virgin  mother  Mary  WAS.  Can  demonstration  go  fur- 
ther, that  the  Spirit  means  us  to  interpret  his  predic- 
tions according  to  the  established  usage  of  language? 

But  you  say,  There  are  figures  of  speech  in  prophecy. 
Yes,  and  do  not  yourselves  abound  in  the  use  of  figures  ? 
Are  they  not  the  current  speech  of  daily  life  ?  When 
the  Holy  Spirit  predicted  that  the  future  Messiah  would 
say,  "  Many  bulls  have  compassed  Me,"  "  Dogs  have 
compassed  Me,"  are  not  the  figures  instantly  detected 
and  clearly  interpreted?  When  Cyrus  is  represented 
as  addressing  Jerusalem  and  the  temple,  is  not  the 
meaning  self-evident?  And  if,  in  any  instance,  it  be 
doubtful  whether  there  be  a  figure,  a  patient  examina- 
tion of  the  connection  will  generally  be  satisfactory. 

But  you  say,  the  symbols  of  prophecy — they  at  least 
are  riddles  insolvable.  Well,  look  at  the  Colossus  of 
Daniel — the  metallic  image.  The  prophecy  itself  in- 
terprets it.  And  so  it  is  with  many  symbols.  When, 
however,  symbols  are  left  unexplained,  not  seldom  a 
comparison  of  Scripture  with  Scripture  will  make  them 
plain ;  the  symbolic  interpretations  given,  so  many  and 
various,  being  examples  of  interpretation,  and,  besides, 
what  is  foreshown  in  symbol  being  foretold  in  other 


156  THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

forms  elsewhere.     Patience,  perseverance  and  humility 
will  rarely  fail  to  bring  you  in  contact  with  the  essen-i 
tial  fact  in  the  symbol,  and  advance  your  instruction  in 
righteousness. 

And  now  shall  we  embrace  that  obnoxious  dictum, 
that  unfulfilled  prophecy  can  be  understood,  even  in  the 
main,  only  after  the  fulfillment?  Does  the  Holy 
Spirit  say  so  ?  Where  ?  Just  the  contrary,  as  we  have 
seen.  It  is  expressly  unfulfilled  prophecy  that  he  char- 
acterizes as  a  lamp  shining  in  a  dark  place ;  that  he  de- 
clares to  be  for  the  purpose  of  showing  his  servants 
things  to  come.  Nor  is  there  a  single  accomplished  pre- 
diction whose  words  have  not  been  grammatically  real- 
ized. Only  take  the  terms  of  prophecy  in  their  obvi- 
ous sense,  and  you  cannot  but  rightly  anticipate  the 
events,  although  the  fulfillment  is  ahead  of  you. 

When  we  read,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  I 
will  put  the  tribes  of  Ephraim  with  Judah,  and  will 
gather  the  children  of  Israel  from  among  the  nations 
whither  they  have  gone,  and  will  bring  them  into  their 
own  land,  and  make  them  one  nation  in  the  land,  and 
they  shall  walk  in  My  judgments,  and  shall  dwell  in 
the  land  that  I  gave  to  Jacob,  wherein  their  fathers 
dwelt,  they  and  their  children  and  their  children's  chil- 
dren forever,  yea,  I  will  be  their  God  and  they  shall  be 
My  people,  and  My  sanctuary  shall  be  in  the  midst  of 
them  forevermore  (Ezek.  37) ;  do  not  the  words  abso- 
lutely shut  off  all  interpretations  save  one?  When 
God  said  to  David,  I  will  make  thee  a  house,  and  thine 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.    .  157 

house  and  thy  kingdom  shall  be  established  forever  (2 
Sam.  7),  I  will  not  lie  to  David  (Ps.  89),  I  will  set  up 
thy  seed  after  thee,  which  shall  proceed  out  of  thy 
bowels,  and  I  will  establish  his  kingdom  and  the  throne 
of  his  kingdom  forever  (2  Sam.  7),  of  the  increase  of  his 
government  and  peace  no  end  upon  the  throne  of  David 
and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it 
with  judgment  and  justice  even  forever  (Isa.  9)  ;  are  not 
the  words  a  very  sunshine  in  their  clearness?  And 
when  the  Spirit  lets  us  hear  the  angel  Gabriel  assuring 
Mary  that  her  virgin-born  should  have  the  throne  of 
his  father  David  (Luke  1),  and  writes  for  us  two  gene-, 
alogies  of  Jesus,  whose  united  testimony  is  a  redun- 
dancy of  proof  that  he  is  that  offspring  of  David  to 
whom  was  bequeathed  David's  kingdom,  and  when  the 
Spirit  adds  that  Jesus  is  as  a  nobleman  gone  into  a  far 
country  to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom  and  to  return, 
and  that  upon  his  return  he  will  build  again  the  taber- 
nacle of  David,  which  is  fallen  down,  and  that  the  Son 
of  man,  having  come  in  his  glory,  shall  then  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  his  glory  (Luke  19)  ;  Matt.  25 ;  Acts  15  ; 
is  there  a  human  intelligence  that  does  not  instantly  see 
what  these  communications  naturally  and  irrepressibly 
mean  ?  And  by  the  fact  of  the  literal  fulfillment  of 
every  predicted  circumstance  of  Messiah's  first  coming, 
does  not  the  Holy  Spirit  protest  against  the  taking  in  a 
non-natural  sense  what  he  says  of  the  kingdom  to  be 
set  up  at  Messiah's  second  coming?  It  is  David's 
throne,  David's  kingdom,  the  Christ  is  to  occupy.  This 


158  THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

does  not  refer  to  Christ's  blessed  reign  in  our  hearts,  for 
never  did  David  so  reign ;  nor  to  the  Son  of  God's 
reign  in  the  third  heaven,  for  never  did  David  so 
reign.  The  language  of  the  prediction  demands  that 
he,  the  virgin-born,  whose  name  is  The  Mighty  God, 
shall  visibly  reign  on  the  earth  as  David's  lineal  successor, 
only  incomparably  more  gloriously  ;  that  he  shall  reign 
as  a  man,  yet  in  his  majesty  as  God,  with  judgment  and 
justice,  in  purity  and  holiness,  in  love  and  blessedness. 

When  we  read  that  there  shall  be  a  new  earth  and  a 
new  atmosphere  (2  Pet.  3),.  so  glorious  that  the  former, 
the  present  visible  creation,  shall  not  be  remembered 
nor  come  into  mind  (Isa.  65:  17);  that  there  shall 
still  be  nations  dwelling-  on  the  earth  after  the  stupen- 
dous conflagration  foretold  by  Isaiah  and  Peter ;  that 
the  fire  shall  be  for  perdition  of  ungodly  men,  which 
perdition  shall  be  inflicted  upon  certain  multitudes, 
while  yet  there  shall  be  those  that  escape  (Isa.  66 :  19) ; 
that  the  risen  saints,  having  returned  with  their  Lord, 
shall  be  associated  with  him  as  kings  and  priests  for  the 
benefit  of  the  nations,  and  with  him  shall  rule  the  na- 
tions (Rev.  1:6;  2 :  26 ;  3 :  21) ;  that  the  animal 
creation  shall  be  so  adapted  to  the  new  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness,  the  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the 
lamb,  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox  (Isa.  11) 
—can  you  imagine  a  greater  explicitness  of  statement? 
Does  the  Spirit  not  speak  as  meaning  to  be  understood? 

But  you  say.  I  have  always  thought  of  that  tremen- 
dous conflagration  as  sweeping  away  from  the  earth  all 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PKOPHECY.  159 

the  inhabitants.  Whence,  then,  did  you  get  the  thought  ? 
Not  from  what  the  Spirit  tells  you  ;  for  he  declares  the 
very  opposite. 

But  you  continue,  It  is  absurd  to  construe  literally 
the  statement  that  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox ; 
it  is  contradictory  of  the  lion's  nature.  Well,  if  it  is 
figurative,  what  does  the  figure  signify  ?  To  find  out 
this  were  like  hunting  for  the  lost  pleiad,  and  would 
require  the  telescopic  vision  of  a  superhuman  mind. 
Against  the  lion's  nature  ?  Yes,  and  it  is  against  the 
nature  of  a  virgin  to  bear  a  son  ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit 
once  said  that  so  it  should  be,  and  so  it  was. 

But  you  say  again,  What  mistakes  students  of 
prophecy  are  constantly  making  with  regard  to  the  date 
of  the  Lord's  coming.  Have  their  mistakes  come,  then, 
from  simply  being  guided  by  the  words  of  the  Spirit? 
On  the  contrary,  his  express  words  are,  "  It  is  not  for 
you  to  know  the  times  and  the  seasons,  which  the 
Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power."  Signs  of  the  com- 
ing are  given  us,  but  the  date  is  hidden.  Compara- 
tively few,  however,  are  the  students  of  prophecy  who 
are  so  unwarrantably  betrayed  into  such  mistakes. 

In  fine,  the  Spirit's  expressed  purpose  is  to  show  us 
things  to  come.  His  predictions  are  obvious  ideas,  for 
he  bids  us  give  heed  to  them.  His  predictions  are 
light,  for  so  he  names  them.  His  predictions  are 
grammatically  simple  and  clear,  for  so  his  providence 
has  demonstrated  them.  If,  then,  we  have  no  interest 
in  prophecy,  we  dishonor  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  we  take 


160  THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY. 

no  pains  to  understand  what  he  has  been  at  so  much 
pains  to  cause  us  to  understand,  we  fail  so  far  forth  to 
put  ourselves  in  communication  with  him.  And,  saith 
the  Lord,  "  Them  that  honor  Me  I  will  honor." 

The  intelligible  mind  of  the  Spirit  is  the  spirit  of 
prophecy. 

In  the  second  place,  the  Holy  Spirit  in  prophecy 
gives  us  a  great  deal  to  understand. 

In  fact  he  crowds  the  Bible  with  his  prophetic  com- 
munications. And,  by  the  way,  the  abundauce  of  them 
is  further  confirmation  of  their  explicitness ;  for  why 
should  they  be  so  immensely  many,  if,  for  the  most 
part,  we  cannot  understand  them?  Does  the  Spirit 
pleasure  himself  at  puzzling  us  with  enigmas? — a  cynical 
pleasure  long  drawn  out.  But  to  the  point  before  us. 

Certainly  he  is  graciously  revealed  in  his  other  teach- 
ings. His  adorable  relations  in  the  Godhead — his  office 
as  the  Comforter— 'his  ministration  of  salvation  to  indi- 
vidual souls,  in  all  this  he  is  the  very  and  wonderful 
love  of  God.  And  yet  to  himself  all  this  has  not  seemed 
to  be  enough.  He  would  instruct  us  as  to  the  future," 
and  more  and  more  enrich  us  with  his  own  thoughts  and 
purposes.  And  that  his  prophecies  are  so  very  many, 
illustrates  how  important  to  us  he  regards  them  as  being. 

The  proportion  of  prophecy  in  the  Bible  is  enormous. 
Excluding  the  merely  historical  parts,  the  predictions 
occupy  perhaps  two-thirds  of  Scripture ;  and  if  also  we 
exclude  the  predictions  that  have  been  fulfilled,  those 


THE   SPIRIT   OP   PROPHECY.  161 

yet  to  be  fulfilled  are,  as  to  the  remainder  of  Scripture 
iii  preponderating  proportion.  Now  this  is  a  remark- 
able status  of  the.  Word  of  God.  We  might  have 
argued  that  the  truths  of  personal  salvation  must  have 
the  precedence  in  amount  of  space.  On  the  contrary, 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  argued  that  saving  truth  is  as  the 
foundation,  prophetic  truth  as  the  superstructure ;  that 
the  constituent  parts  of  a  superstructure,  like  the  bricks 
in  a  building,  are  to  the  stones  of  the  foundation  as 
many  to  one ;  and  that  just  as  a  foundation  without  its 
superstructure  serves  not  its  purpose,  so  saving  truth 
without  the  prophetic  truth  is  in  an  imperfect  condition, 
being  detached  from  its  proper  development.  The  ex- 
ceeding proportion  of  prophecy  in  Scripture,  then,  is  a 
most  instructive  fact.  What  stores  of  sacred  learning 
the  Spirit  has  thus  been  treasuring  up  for  us  !  So  that 
if  it  seem  not  to  us  that,  for  our  highest  Christian  well- 
being,  we  are  dependent,  in  no  small  degree,  on  so  large 
an  array  of  Scripture,  we  are  no  less  than  at  war  with 
the  mind  of  the  Spirit. 

What  variety  of  subjects,  too,  within  this  wide  range 
of  unfulfilled  prophecy  !  Nations,  empires,  individuals; 
judgments,  blessings,  glory;  doctrines,  experiences;  the 
dappled  history  of  the  Church  along  this  dispensation ; 
the  restoration  of  Israel ;  the  great  apostasy  with  its 
truculent  aspect ;  the  rise,  character,  development,  and 
overthrow  of  the  imperial  Antichrist;  the  Christ  as 
coming  again,  his  Epiphany  and  Parousia ;  the  judg- 
ment of  the  nations,  the  judgment  of  Christendom ;  the 
11 


162  THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY. 

First  Resurrection  ;  the  risen  saints  joint  kings  and 
priests  with  their  Lord ;  the  kingdom  established,  the 
throne  of  the  great  King  earth's  central  splendor ;  the 
supreme  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  earth's  renewal, 
the  world's  millennial  blessedness ;  the  final  outbreak 
of  rebellion,  the  final  subjugation,  the  sudden,  complete, 
everlasting  eradication  of  evil ;  the  kingdom  of  the 
Christ,  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
one  kingdom,  in  unquestioned  sovereignty ;  the  taber- 
nacle of  God  on  earth,  God  dwelling  with  men,  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  any  more  pain.  An  im- 
mensity of  interests.  Momentous  subjects  all.  Verily 
a  vast  deal  concerning  the  future  the  Spirit  has  given  us 
to  understand. 

Now  wherefore  ?  Because  in  this  fore-written  his- 
tory of  the  times  to  come,  our  own  personal  interests,  as 
Christians,  are  illustrated  and  enforced.  Our  souls  are 
touched  on  every  side. 

Our  knowledge  is  increased  ;  not  a  vague  generality 
of  knowledge,  like  as  that  we  shall  be  happy  hereafter, 
but.  knowledge  made  up  of  many  facts,  bristling  all  over 
with  salient  points ;  and  knowledge  is  power. 

Our  historic  instinct  is  gratified  ;  for  as  in  the  history 
of  the  past  we  have  an  intellectual  pleasure  in  noticing 
how  the  principles  of  human  action,  as  exemplified  in 
events,  have  been  characterized  as  good  or  bad,  so  in 
this  predictive  history  of  the  future,  what  high  mental 
satisfaction  in  observing  the  consummate  results  of  the 
very  principles  now  at  work  and  influencing  mankind. 


THE  SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  163 

We  see  that  ultimate  is  the  consecutiveuess  of  sin  and 
perdition,  of  godliness  and  glory ;  and  we  expand  into 
the  sublime  thought,  that  God's  universe  is  one  organic 
whole  in  the  interest  of  truth,  and  law,  and  justice,  and 
righteousness,  and  love. 

Our  feelings  with  regard  to  the  great  hereafter  are 
illumined,  stimulated,  intensified ;  for  as,  like  a  pano- 
rama, these  tremendous  events  are  acting  before  us  in 
prophetic  vision,  the  greatness  of  the  scenes  is  thrown 
back  upon  ourselves,  for  we  shall  be  there,  and  we  are 
lifted  into  the  majesty  of  conviction,  and  the  glow  of 
self-respect.  Meanwhile  all  present  things  take  on  a 
subdued  look,  the  world's  businesses,  excitements,  and 
friendships  lie  low,  comparatively,  in  our  estimation. 
We  are  breathing  a  purer  air. 

Our  trust  in  God's  providence  is  quickened  and  en- 
larged ;  for  in  these  ultimate  events,  as  being  the  har- 
vest of  the  ages,  we  see  how  minute  must  be  now  his 
observation  of  men,  and  yet  how  all-comprehending  the 
sweep  of  his  plan,  and  we  warm  into  acquiescence  in  the 
present  sovereign  control  of  affairs. 

Our  appreciation  of  the  whole  Bible  is  promoted  ;  for 
even  its  non-prophetic  revelations,  in  the  light  of  this 
predicted  future,  shoot  forth  into  charming  display. 
This  effect  was  produced  by  certain  predictions  already 
accomplished :  there,  for  instance,  was  God's  revelation 
of  the  Levitical  Ritual ;  it  was  prediction  that  vindi- 
cated the  Divine  wisdom  therein,  and  made  consummate 
both  priest  and  victim  in  him  who  should  be  wounded 


164  THE  SPIRIT   OF  PROPHECY. 

for  our  transgressions.  And  so  as  to  predictions  yet  to 
be  accomplished.  How  poor  were  the  significance  of 
Israel's  calling  as  a  peculiar  people,  except  for  predic- 
tion exalting  them  into  the  children  of  the  Better  Cove- 
nant, into  the  radiating  centre  of  the  world's  salvation, 
into  a  predominant  position  among  the  peoples  of  the 
ages  to  come !  What,  to  us,  were  the  value  of  God's 
revelation,  that  David  should  be  king,  did  not  predic- 
tion reveal  his  appointment  therein  to  be  type  and  earn- 
est of  the  Messianic  King  ?  That  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  cleauseth  from  all  sin  is  a  most  gracious  revela- 
tion ;  but  it  is  prediction  that  designates  the  far-reach- 
ing magnificent  consequences  of  that  cleansing,  making 
the  grandeur  of  result  answer  back  to  the  grandeur  of 
cause  (the  atonement),  and  lighting  up  the  truth  with  a 
noontide  of  splendor.  That  the  believer  is  one  with 
Christ,  as  the  branch  with  the  vine,  is  a  Divine  assur- 
ance most  grateful ;  but  prediction  is  the  arithmetic  of 
its  preciousness,  and  sums  it  up  in  a  far  more  exceeding 
and  eternal  wealth  of  glory 

Yes,  the  Blessed  Holy  Spirit  has  good  reasons  for  the 
abundance  of  his  predictions.  He  knows  our  needs, 
and  his  benevolent  mind  sympathizes  with  us.  No 
wonder  that  his  prophecies  loom  within  the  Bible  hori- 
zon in  Alpine  proportions.  No  wonder  that  from  Gen- 
esis to  Apocalypse  they  stud  the  expanse  of  revelation 
like  stars  in  the  sky,  and  make  of  the  Bible  a  luminous 
whole.  No  wonder  that  here  and  there,  again  and 
again,  they  shine  like  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  turning 


THE   SPIEIT   OF   PROPHECY.  165 

night  into  day,  melting  winter  into  summer,  vivifying 
truth  with  foliage  and  color  and  fruit.  No  wonder  that 
out  of  the  bubbling  spring  of  the  Protevangelium — the 
woman's  promised  seed — on  and  on,  all  the  way  to  the 
gorgeous  vision  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  they  have  flowed 
like  a  fertilizing  Nile,  meeting  indeed  in  their  course 
with  many  a  cataract  of  calamity  foretold,  but  watering 
the  deserts  of  human  thought,  and  causing  sorrowing 
souls  to  blossom  like  the  rose. 

If,  then,  we  turn  away  from  earnest,  humble,  patient, 
devout  study  of  prophecy,  slighting  the  wonderful 
things  which  the  Spirit  has  given  us  to  understand, 
substituting  therefor  our  own  guesses  and  worldly  pre- 
judices, are  we  not  contemning  his  wisdom,  are  we  not 
grieving  his  love?  And  if  we  find  ourselves  bemoan- 
ing a  lack  of  spiritual  power,  and  that  our  churches, 
like  the  fig  tree  in  Gospel  story,  while  putting  forth 
leaves  of  outward  prosperity,  are  yet  without  fruit, 
would  the  cause  be  far  to  seek  ?  For  if  the  Bible  of  the 
Spirit  is  a  lamp  to  our  feet,  the  prophecies  of  the  Spirit 
are  the  brightness  of  its  flame ;  if  the  Bible  of  the  Spirit 
is  a  tower  into  which  the  righteous  runneth  and  is  safe, 
the  prophecies  of  the  Spirit  are  at  once  the  massiveness 
and  the  loftiness  of  the  tower. 

The  instructive  mind  of  the  Spirit  is  the  spirit  of 
prophecy. 

Thirdly,  the   Holy  Spirit   in   prophecy  is  pre-emi- 
nently a  witness  for  Christ. 


1G6  THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

It  is  his  own  declaration  that  "  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
is  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  He  does  indeed  bear  witness 
to  Christ  in  the  non-prophetic  Scriptures ;  as  in  the  law 
of  God,  in  the  truth  of  the  Atonement,  in  justification 
by  faith,  and  otherwise. 

In  the  prophetic  Scriptures,  however,  not  only  is  all 
this  essentially  included,  but  the  Christly  testimony  is 
more ;  more  in  bulk,  since  the  predictions  are  so  num- 
erous, more  in  completeness,  since  the  predictions  are 
the  unfolding  of  the  final  issue.  For  what  were  salva- 
tion without  its  consummation  ?  Somewhat  of  a  torso 
— a  decapitated  blessing ;  a  present  good,  yet  partial, 
because  without  a  delineated  future.  The  Christ  is  but 
defectively  revealed,  except  he  is  seen  in  the  advancing 
final  results  of  his  work. 

A  prophetic  witness  to  Christ  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
been  from  the  beginning.  Doubly  so  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, wherein  his  predictions  embraced  both  comings  of 
Christ ;  singly  so  in  the  New  Testament,  wherein  his 
predictions  are  limited  to  the  returning  Christ;  but 
wherein,  in  attitude  intent,  and  with  index  finger,  he  is 
evermore  pointing  us  onward  to  the  Christly  glories, 
and  with  voice  urging  us  to  utmost  devotion  in  hasten- 
ing the  day  of  God.  His  predictive  testimony  to  Jesus 
is  what  the  Spirit  loves  to  maintain. 

The  Gospel  of  Jesus  is  the  Gospel  of  "the  Spirit. 
But  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  is  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  ; 
for  he  told  his  disciples  that  to  preach  the  kingdom  of 
God  was  that  for  which  he  was  sent  (Luke  4 :  43),  and 


THE   SPIRIT  OF   PROPHECY.  167 

accordingly,  as  it  is  said,  he  did  go  everywhere  preaching 
the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  (Matthew  4 :  23).  Now 
what  Jesus  preached  the  Spirit  preaches,  for  he  had  the 
Spirit  without  ^measure.  The  Gospel  of  the  Spirit  is 
the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom.  It  was  the  delight  of 
Jesus'  heart,  it  is  the  delight  of  the  Spirit's  heart. 

What,  then,  is  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom?  The 
Gospel  of  repentance,  faith,  forgiveness,  acceptance, 
eternal  life,  is  not  that  it?  Yes,  but  also  it  is  more. 
Personal  salvation  from  sin,  reconciliation  with  God,  is 
indeed  essential  to  one's  entrance  into  the  kingdom  ;  for 
the  kingdom,  in  the  person  of  the  great  King,  is 
grounded  on  his  redemptive  sufferings  and  priestly 
functions.  But  just  as  the  Saviour's  expiation  of  sin  is 
itself  not  the  kingdom,  so  the  believer's  personal  salva- 
tion is  itself  not  the  same  as  his  investiture  with  the 
kingdom.  Every  saved  man  is  sure  of  the  kingdom  ; 
but  his  being  saved  and  his  having  the  kingdom,  while 
linked  together  as  cause  and  effect,  are  two  distinct 
things.  The  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  is  the  good  tid- 
ings of  the  kingdom ;  and  while  in  those  good  tidings 
is  included  the  Gospel  of  salvation  by  faith  in  the  aton- 
ing Saviour,  they  are  also  our  assurance  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  that  Gospel ;  they  are  the  ultimate  expression  of 
the  efficacy  of  redemption,  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit's 
statement  of  salvation,  the  glory  of  the  Saviour  at  the 
highest  point  of  conception. 

This  is  what  the  Spirit  in  prophecy  is  so  actively  en- 
gaged in  testifying  of  Christ.  He  works  to  lift  our 


168  THE   SPIRIT   OF    PROPHECY. 

eyes  up  and  away  from  that  inadequate  view  of  the 
Saviour,  that  the  church  is  his  kingdom.     Instead,  he 
fastens  attention  to  the  nobleman's  return  from  the  far 
country,  bringing  his  kingdom  with  him,  as  the  tran- 
scendent expression  of  Christ.     He  commemorates   to 
us  the  Thessalonian  believers,  who,  having  "  turned  to 
God  from  idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God,"  did 
then  complete  their  Christian  position  by  taking  the  at- 
titude of  "  waiting  for  his  Son  from  heaven."     Thus 
two-fold  is  the  purpose  of  his  predictive  testimony  to 
Christ:   first,  to  teach   us,   and   prompt  us  to,  a  yet 
greater  and  worthier  honoring  of  the  Saviour,  both  as 
to  the  efficacy  of  his  saving  work  and  as  to  the  final 
consummation  of  his  triumph  as  Saviour  ;  and  secondly, 
thereby  to  bring  us  into  a  more  complete  expression  of 
experience  and  character.     Hence  the  pains  the  Spirit 
is  at  to  make  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  attractive ; 
sketching  that  scene  of  royalty  in  such  colors  as  to  the 
appreciative  eye  are  vivid  realizations ;  representing  the 
King  in  his  beauty,  around  him  the  risen  saints  crowned 
and  enthroned,  earth  at  her  jubilee,  holiness  ruling  the 
world,  and  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  glory  of  it  all. 
Not  to  study  the  Spirit  in  prophecy,  therefore,  is  so 
far  forth  not  to  study  Christ.     Nor  are  we  fully  in 
communion  with  the  Spirit,  if,  in  defiance  of  his  teach- 
ings, we  are  yielding  to  that  worldly  notion,  so  preva- 
lent in  the  church,  of  social  progress  gradually  dissolv- 
ing in  universal  blessedness,  and  so  we  are  not  yearning 
for  and  expecting  that  Epiphany  from  heaven,  the  mir- 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  169 

aculous  introduction  into  the  earth  of  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Oh,  there  is  a  thrilling  sense  of  redemption  in 
the  prophecies.  When  Jesus,  in  the  way  to  Emmaus, 
expounded  the  predictions  concerning  himself,  the 
hearts  of  the  disciples  burned  within  them ;  and  when 
the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  own  was  the  burning  power  of 
those  words  of  Jesus,  speaks  to  us  of  that  same  Jesus 
in  the  sublime  oracles  of  the  future,  what  a  blaze  of 
power  should  be  in  our  hearts  ! 

The  Christly  mind  of  the  Spirit  is  the  spirit  of 
prophecy. 

Fourthly,  the  Holy  Spirit  in  prophecy  glorifies  him- 
self. 

It  is  the  prerogative  of  Deity  to  make  a  display  of 
the  Divine  glory.  As  the  Father  asserts  his  Eternal 
Majesty,  and  the  Son,  while  yet  in  submission  to  his 
Filial  relation,  asserts  his  equality  with  the  Father,  so 
the  Third  Person  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  while  yet  in 
submission  to  his  Processional  relation,  asserts  his 
equality  with  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Not  other- 
wise could  the  Eternal  Three  in  One  enter  into  commu- 
nication with  men  ;  and  it  were  a  forfeiture  of  the  Di- 
vine character  of  the  Spirit's  revelations,  if  he  himself 
were  hidden  in  them  out  of  sight.  It  is  what  we  should 
have  anticipated,  then,  that  his  sublime  oracles  of  the 
future  would  have  upon  them  the  impress  of  his  own 
Personal  glory. 

We  find,  accordingly,  that  he  does  assert  himself  in 
prophecy  with  a  surpassing  solemnity.  "  The  bias- 


170  THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

phemy  against  the  Spirit  shall  not  be  forgiven.  Who- 
soever shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Spirit  shall  not  be 
forgiven,  neither  in  this  age,  nor  in  that  which  is  to 
come."  This  warning  was  spoken  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  honor  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  the  Spirit  himself  in- 
spired the  evangelist  to  write  it.  Now  there  is  a  pre- 
diction in  it ;  for  in  addition  to  its  being  said,  that  the 
man  committing  that  sin  shall  never  be  forgiven,  either 
in  this  age  or  in  the  age  to  come,  it  is  of  course  implied 
that  if  there  shall  be  one  committing  that  sin  in  the  age 
to  come  (and  the  Scripture  is  express  that  there  will  be 
more  or  less  of  sin  in  the  millennial  age),  he  shall  not 
be  forgiven.  So  much  of  a  prophetic  word  is  in  it, 
and  it  is  the  Spirit's  solemn  assertion,  in  connection 
with  the  age  to  come,  of  his  own  Eternal  Majesty,  his 
adorable  sacredness,  and  of  how  indispensable,  in  the 
salvation  of  men,  his  power  shall  continue  to  be. 

But  he  further  asserts  it  with  a  surpassing  sublimity. 
What  wonderful  works  of  grace  he  prophetically  as- 
cribes to  himself.  True,  every  word  -of  the  present 
salvation  is  the  Spirit's  self-assertion  of  his  glory  ;  but 
nowhere  else,  as  in  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  is  his 
self-assertion  so  glorious.  What  a  wonder  it  were,  if  a 
whole  nation,  without  the  exception  of  a  single  indi- 
vidual, were  converted  to  God.  But  that  very  marvel 
of  Almighty  power  and  grace  is  no  dream.  His  own 
predictions  claim  that  he  will  pour  upon  the  seed  of 
Israel  the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  and  they 
shall  look  on  him  whom  they  pierced,  and  shall  mourn 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  171 

as  one  mourneth  for  an  only  son  (Zech.  12  :  10) ;  and 
he  will  put  his  law  in  their  inward  parts  and  write  it 
in  their  hearts,  and  none  shall  say  to  another,  know  the 
Lord,  for  they  shall  know  him  from  the  least  of  them 
to  the  greatest  of  them,  and  their  iniquity  shall  be  for- 
given, and  their  sin  be  remembered  no  more  (Jer.  31  : 
33,  34);  and  they  shall  inherit  the  land  forever,  the 
branch  of  his  planting,  the  work  of  his  hands,  that  he 
may  be  glorified  (Isa.  60 :  21).  Yet  what  is  a  whole 
nation's  conversion  to  God,  as  compared  with  that  of  a 
world  ? — when  Israel's  light  shall  flood  the  globe,  and 
kings  shall  come  to  the  brightness  of  her  rising  (Isa. 
60),  and  all  peoples,  made  willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power,  shall  remember  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  skies 
pouring  down  righteousness,  salvation  growing  up  from 
the  earth,  the  effect  of  righteousness,  quietness  and  as- 
surance forever  (Ps.  22:  27;  Isa.  45:  8;  32:  17). 
Nor  is  this  all.  For  as  once  the  Spirit  moved  upon  the 
dark  face  of  the  deep,  and  there  was  light,  so,  his  pre- 
dictions assure  us,  he  will  again  move  upon  what  he 
calls  this  groaning  creation ;  and  at  his  touch,  "  the 
mountains  skipping  like  rams,  and  the  little  hills  like 
lambs,"  all  things  shall  become  readjusted,  creation's 
groans  be  hushed,  earth  appear  in  a  new  garniture  of 
beauty,  beasts  of  the  field  and  fowls  of  heaven  and 
creeping  things  of  the  ground  transformed,  neither  car- 
nivorous beast  nor  poisonous  creature  desecrating  God's 
world  for  evermore,  and  we,  though  now  so  opaque  in 
person  and  character,  shall  brighten  over  the  laughing 


172  THE  SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

earth  into  a  light  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even 
like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal  (Rom.  8 ;  Hos.  2 ; 
Isa.  11 ;  Rev.  21). 

Now  what  transcendent  works  of  the  Spirit.  Top- 
most achievements  of  his  grace  and  power.  And  has 
he  told  us  of  them  without  designing  to  win  us  into  a 
larger  appreciation  of  his  preciousness  to  us,  and  there- 
by to  promote  our  worshipful  reverence  of  him? 
These  prophetic  splendors,  as  though  a  mere  back- 
ground, do  but  project  into  view  the  seraphic  intensity 
of  the  trinal  ascription,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  ! 

The  adorable  mind  of  the  Spirit  is  the  spirit  of 
prophecy. 

Fifthly,  the  Holy  Spirit  in  prophecy  is  the  minister 
of  righteousness. 

As  in  precept,  doctrine,  exhortation,  so  in  prediction, 
his  purpose  is  to  draw  us  away  from  sin,  and  advance 
us  in  righteous  living.  The  one  pervading  theme  of 
his  prophecies  is  Christ ;  every  one  of  them,  if  not  di- 
rectly, then  indirectly,  referring  to  him.  And  what 
but  Christ  is  the  power  of  righteousness  ?  Any  event 
seen  to  be  connected  with  him,  even  if  distantly,  is  a 
stream  of  holy  influence ;  just  as  the  woman  felt  his 
health-giving  virtue  while  yet  touching  but  the  hem  of 
his  garment.  -  Read  the  harrowing  prophecy,  still  in 
process  of  fulfillment,  of  the  calamities  of  the  Jews,  and 
does  not  the  cheek  tingle  at  that  continuous  doom  of 
unchristianness  ?  Witness  the  prophecy  of  the  Four 


THE   SPIEIT   OF   PROPHECY.  173 

Great  Monarchies,  and  while  you  see  beforehand  that 
gigantic  image  ground  to  powder,  and  are  in  the  midst 
of  the  confused  dust  of  gold  and  silver  and  brass  and 
iron  and  clay,  you  stand  aghast  at  the  devouring  jeal- 
ousy of  a  Holy  God  when  Christ  is  rejected. 

But  in  his  direct  prophecies  of  Christ  how  signally 
the  Spirit  serves  the  cause  of  righteousness.  Forewarn- 
ing us  of  yet  fiercer  conflicts  with  the  world-rulers  of 
this  darkness,  the  spiritual  armies  of  wickedness,  he 
averts  unhappy  forebodings,  and  magnifies  the  free 
grace  of  the  Gospel  as  the  power  for  service,  by  assur- 
ing us  that  the  great  dragon,  the  old  serpent,  called  the 
Devil  and  Satan,  the  people  of  God  shall  overcome  by 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  and  by  the  word  of  their  testi- 
mony. Picturing  the  peeled  and  suffering  Jews  look- 
ing upon  him  Whom  they  pierced,  he  makes  us  see  that 
they  become  all  righteous  by  the  blood  that  cleanseth. 
Arraying  before  us  the  Ancient  of  days  sitting,  his  gar- 
ment white  as  snow,  the  hair  of  his  head  like  pure 
wool,  his  throne  fiery  flames,  his  wheels  burning  fire, 
he  shows  us  the  Son  of  man  coming,  coming  to  the 
Ancient  of  days,  coming  with  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
giving  the  wicked  nations  to  the  burning  flame,  receiv- 
ing dominion  and  glory  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  peo- 
ples and  languages  should  serve  him;  and  we  turn  with 
horror  from  the  atheistic  sentiments  now  so  threatening 
among  the  nations,  and  clasp  the  faith  of  Christ  as  our 
only  refuge  from  ungodliness  and  anarchy  and  perdi- 
tion. He  writes  down  for  us  that  word  of  Jesus,  "Be- 


174  THE  SPIRIT  OP  PROPHECY. 

hold,  I  come  quickly,"  and  associates  with  it  the 
prophecy  :  "  He  that  is  unrighteous,  let  him  do  un- 
righteousness still,  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be 
made  filthy  still,  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  do 
righteousness  still ; "  and  we  see  that  character  at  the 
last  is  a  fixture,  projecting  itself  into  the  eternal  state, 
and  we  think  of  the  only  force  that  betimes  can  revo- 
lutionize character — the  blood  that  takes  away  sin,  the 
faith  in  Christ  that  works  by  love. 

Moreover,  what  express  emphasis  the  Spirit  puts 
upon  prophecy  in  its  bearing  on  a  holy  life.  Does  he 
warn  against  the  loss  of  the  soul  ?  "  The  Son  of  man 
shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  his  angels." 
Does  he  speak  of  subduing  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  ? 
"  When  Christ,  your  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye 
also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Does  he  command  so- 
briety of  life?  "Yourselves  know  perfectly  that  the 
day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night." 
Does  he  exhort  us  to  patience  in  the  midst  of  sufferings  ? 
"The  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh."  In  fine, 
would  he  have  us  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts, 
and  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  present 
world?  "Looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the 
glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ." 

Now  the  predominant  sin  of  the  church  is  love  of 
the  world.  It  invades  our  thoughts,  supplies  our  mo- 
tives, captivates  our  affections,  damages  our  religious 
service ;  rules  in  our  families,  is  the  keynote  of  our  so- 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  175 

cial  arrangements  ;  deadens  the  spirituality  of  deacons, 
elders  and  vestrymen,  poisons  the  meditations  of  the 
preacher,  robs  the  sermon  of  its  unction,  shuts  off  the 
congregation  from  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and 
of  power.  Against  it  the  Spirit  warns.  But  precept 
and  exhortation  are  not  enough.  We  need  vividness  of 
impression.  We  need  to  SEE  the  working  out  of 
worldly  principles  and  methods.  It  is  the  Spirit's 
prophecies  that  supply  this  need.  His  brilliant  color- 
ing of  the  world's  approaching  catastrophe,  his  pano- 
rama of  the  final  disasters  of  our  boasted  civilization, 
his  startling  prevision  of  the  miraculousness  of  the  in- 
troduction of  God's  kingdom  into  the  earth — these  are 
the  teachings  that  break  the  spell  of  the  enchanter,  and 
for  the  sleepiness  of  mere  hearsay  substitute  the  very 
sight  of  the  roaring  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 
Worldliness  cannot  live  in  the  prophetic  fires  of  the 
Second  Coming. 

Thus  is  it  that  prophecy  is  pre-eminently  the  ministry 
of  righteousness.  And  it  is  largely  because  of  the 
neglect  of  it,  largely  because  the  Spirit's  fore-written 
history  of  events  to  come  is  unstudied,  unthought  of, 
unknown,  that  Christians'  lives  are  so  far  away  from 
Gospel  living,  and  the  churches  are  cold  and  formal. 

The  holy  mind  of  the  Spirit  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 

In  the  next  place,  the  Holy  Spirit  in  prophecy  is  the 
Minister  of  joy. 

Certainly  he  is  the  Spirit  of  joy  outside  the  prophe- 


176  THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY. 

cies.  But  all  the  joy  of  present  salvation  is  not  suffi- 
cient for  our  wants.  So  the  Spirit  himself  has  decided, 
since,  by  reason  of  his  itemized  predictions,  he  multi- 
plies the  joy.  Certainly  we  can  trust  God,  though  we 
see  not  a  step  before  us.  Yet  knowledge  is  good. 
The  specifying  of  one's  blessednesses  is  an  enhancement 
of  the  blessedness.  Hence  the  size  of  the  Bible ;  in- 
cluding so  many  things  solely  for  the  purpose  of  am- 
plifying our  sensibilities. 

One  joy  of  prophecy  is  that  of  knowing  God's 
plan  as  to  the  varying  fortunes  of  the  Gospel.  What 
are  now  the  Gospel's  circumstances  in  Christendom? 
With  an  eye  to  its  spiritual  power,  do  we  see  it  in  the 
ascendant  ?  The  facts  are  the  other  way.  Multiform 
denials  of  the  faith.  The  very  basic  elements  of  salva- 
tion rejected,  contemned,  ridiculed,  even  in  high  places 
of  the  professing  church  itself.  The  disproportion  in 
Christendom  as  regards  a  personal  profession  of  the 
Gospel  enormous.  Certainly  there  are  more  true 
Christians  in  the  world  to-day  than  ever  before ;  but 
also  there  are  more  people  in  the  world  than  ever  be- 
fore, and  the  disproportion  is  as  huge  as  ever.  And  as 
regards  the  minority  making  the  profession  the  ratio  of 
spiritual  reality  to  unreality  microscopic ;  a  minority 
within  a  minority.  A  tiny  lump  of  sugar  in  a  gallon 
of  coffee.  And  has  it  not  always  been  so  ?  The  three 
thousand  at  Pentecost,  in  itself  a  magnificent  triumph, 
was  but  a  minim  out  of  the  myriads  in  Jerusalem  that 
day.  And  to-day  more  than  a  billion  of  mankind 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  177 

know  nothing  of  the  saving  virtue  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Whence  is  our  comfort  as  regards  the  destiny  of  the 
Gospel  ?     If  you  point  to  Japan,  and  say,  Behold,  a 
mighty  nation  getting  ready  to  proclaim  Christianity  as 
the  national  religion,  at  once  the  bluff  fact  strikes  us  in 
the  face  that  they  are  fascinated  by  the  material  pros- 
perity of  Christendom ;  and  obtrusive  is  the  inference, 
as  is  that  of  a  theorem  in  geometry,  that,  having  na- 
tionally adopted  Christianity,  they  will  only  have  be- 
come like  the  other  so-called  Christian   nations.     Or  if 
you  say,  In  spite  of  this  outlook,  we  have  the  word  of 
our  God  that  the  Gospel  shall  ultimately  prevail,  I  an- 
swer, Yes,  even  a  general  assurance  from  God  we  clasp 
to  our  hearts.     But  how  much  more  assuring  it  would 
be,  if  God  were  so  good  as  to  lay  before  us  his  plan  for 
the  future  of  the  Gospel.     And  God  has  been  so  good. 
We  learn  from  the  prophecies  that  the  state  of  things 
around  us  is  just  what  was  foretold  from  the  begin- 
ning ;  and  also,  as  to  what  is  yet  before  the  church, 
that  atheism  and  blasphemy  and  moral  corruption  will 
be  holding  high  carnival  at  the  time  of  the   Lord's 
coming,  and  the  Antichrist,  the  Colossus  of  falsehood 
and  crime,  shall  then   be  at  the  acme  of  his  imperial 
sway ;  but  that  then  him,  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of 
perdition,  the  lawless  one,  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  destroy 
by  the  Epiphany  of  his  coming. 

Then  shall  Christ  reign,  putting  all  enemies  under 
his  feet,  and  the  succession  of  the  redeemed  be  as  the 
dewdrops  daily  issuing  from  the  womb  of  the  morning. 


178  THE  SPIRIT  OF   PROPHECY. 

Pessimism,  you  say  ?  No,  not  pessimism,  but  optim- 
ism of  the  most  effective  kind.  While  recognizing  what 
is  patent  to  every  eye,  the  never-diminishing  numerical 
majority  against  the  Gospel,  we  yet  know  God's  plan, 
and  we  triumph  in  the  assurance  of  the  all-conqueriftg 
Epiphany  of  Jesus  out  of  heaven. 

Here,  then,  is  history  written  before.  We  see  the 
mile-posts  of  the  future.  Trees  in  the  great  black  for- 
ests are  notched  to  blaze  the  way  of  the  coming  jubilee 
of  the  Gospel.  Things  are  not  at  loose  ends.  God's 
purpose  is  fixed,  his  eye  watchful,  his  hand  over  all. 
It  is  our  joy  of  specific  knowledge ;  the  joy  of  particu- 
larized assurance ;  a  balm  for  depression,  a  cordial  for 
our  fears.  Accordingly,  in  times  of  persecution,  the 
Church  has  always  found  her  refuge  in  prophecy. 
With  the  early  Christians  ill  their  conflicts  with  pagan 
Rome,  with  the  Waldenses  in  their  conflicts  with  papal 
Rome,  the  very  service-book,  the  vade  mecum,  was  the 
Apocalypse.  A  joy  it  is  to  be  apprised  beforehand  of 
the  course  of  events  leading  on  10  victory.  We  have 
but  to  stand  in  our  place,  and  give  our  testimony.  God 
will  take  care  of  his  Gospel. 

Another  joy  of  prophecy  is  that  of  anticipating  com- 
pleted redemption.  What  is  completed  redemption? 
The  salvation  of  a  soul — is  that  not  redemption  ?  Yes, 
and  glorious  indeed ;  still  only  partial  redemption.  A 
whole  world  of  saved  sinners,  is  that  not  redemption  ? 
Yes,  and  yet  more  glorious  ;  still  only  partial  redemp- 
tion. The  advancement  of  all  saved  sinners  to  the 


THE  SPIRIT  OF   PROPHECY.  179 

honors  and  the  glories  with  which  the  boundless  God 
may  £11  the  eternal  state,  is  that  not  redemption  ?  Yes, 
and  more  and  more  glorious ;  still  only  partial  redemp- 
tion. For  are  we  to  consider  man  apart  from  his 
home?  How  incongruous,  if  a  drunkard  were  re- 
formed, and  elevated  to  respectability  and  dignity,  while 
yet  his  home  were  left  in  the  disgraceful  condition  in- 
flicted by  his  drunkenness ;  the  house  still  infested  with 
filth  and  disorder,  the  window  panes  shattered  and 
ragged,  the  fences  broken  down,  the  garden  overrun 
with  weeds,  unkempt  and  uncared  for.  What  is  home  ? 
Is  there  a  forlorner  wretch  than  the  man  without  a 
home  ?  Now  has  not  earth  been  fitted  up  as  the  home 
of  mankind?  When  God  expended  upon  it  his  six 
days'  creation  work,  arranging  it,  furnishing  it,  making 
it  very  good,  did  he  mean  it  for  only  a  temporary  abid- 
ing place?  And  when  sin  came,  did  it  strike  the  in- 
habitants only?  Didn't  it  wrench  and  impair  the 
frame  of  creation  ?  Even  the  atmosphere  was  wors- 
ened ;  for  now  it  made  necessary  to  man  the  wearing 
of  clothing.  In  his  Edenic  state  the  esthetics  of  his 
soul  were  inconceivably  higher,  purer,  sweeter,  so  that 
the  clothing,  which  is  now  so  much  an  expression  of  the 
beautiful,  would  have  been  in  that  superior  condition  of 
being  an  impertinence,  a  smear ;  his  conceptions  of  fit- 
ness and  beauty  being  so  far  above  the  present  possi- 
bilities of  culture,  as  a  Raphael's  Madonna  the  daub  of 
a  Hottentot.  Man  fell  not  only  from  holiness  into  sin, 
but  also,  and  by  consequence,  from  the  heaven  of  the 


180  THE  SPIRIT  OF  PROPHECY. 

science  of  the  beautiful  into  a  beggary  of  thought  and 
feeling.  And  the  point  is,  that  the  chill,  piercing  winds 
of  winter,  themselves  the  result  of  man's  sin,  and  mak- 
ing clothing  a  necessity,  are  ever  reminding  him  of  this 
downward  transition,  as  though  they  were  a  sort  of 
human  conscience,  and  themselves  a  part  of  the  human 
self.  Milton  stated  it  none  too  strongly : 

"  Earth  felt  the  wound,  and  nature  from  her  seat,    • 
Sighing  through  all  her  works,  gave  signs  of  woe 
That  all  was  lost." 

And  now  when  redemption  came,  did  it  stretch  forth 
the  uplifting  hand  to  the  inhabitant  alone,  and  not  also 
to  the  home?  Besides,  forasmuch  as  the  scenes  of  in- 
conceivable beauty  that  draped  the  unfalleu  earth  were 
what  touched  into  consummate  action  the  pure  aesthetics 
of  unfallen  man,  it  follows  that  the  restitution  of  earth 
to  at  least  its  original  beauty  is  a  condition  precedent  to 
regaining  for  man  his  lost  sense  of  the  beautiful.  The 
redemption  of  man  himself  takes  along  with  it  the  re- 
demption of  the  earth.  Not  till  then  will  redemption 
have  been  completely  realized. 

And  this  is  what  the  Spirit  in  prophecy  authorizes 
us  to  anticipate.  The  creation,  he  says,  groaning  and 
travailing  in  pain  together  until  now,  is  waiting,  in 
earnest  expectation,  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of 
God ;  having  been  made  subject  to  vanity  in  hope  that 
itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  cor- 
ruption into  the  freedom  of  the  glory  of  the  children  of 
God  (Rom.  8  :  19-22).  Thus  the  inhabitants  and  their 


THE  SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  181 

home :  the  one  the  reflection  of  the  glorious  freedom  of 
the  other.  So  fixed  and  sure  is  this  purpose  of  God, 
the  earth  and  its  atmosphere  are  represented  as  thrilling 
with  hope,  and  stretching  out  the  neck  in  longing  to 
catch  the  dawning  of  the  day  of  regeneration.  That 
deliverance  will  be  somewhat  as  when  the  worm  has 
become  a  butterfly  :  so  much  more  beautiful  now  than 
before.  Crisp  and  delightful  as  is  often  now  our  morn- 
ing air,  and  charming  as  are  so  many  landscapes,  the 
earth  then  shall  be  so  far  superior  to  what  it  is  now. 
Matter,  which  ranges  from  iron  ore  or  granite  rock  to 
the  imponderable  ether  pervading  the  universe,  is 
capable,  by  the  manipulation  of  God,  of  taking  on  a 
heavenly  magnificence.  Matter  the  Eternal  Son  of 
God  took  into  personal  union  with  himself,  and  lo !  with 
a  brightness  above  that  of  the  midday  sun  it  dazzled  to 
blindness  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Matter,  sown  in  corruption, 
shall  be  raised  in  incorruption ;  sown  in  dishonor,  shall 
be  raised  in  glory ;  sown  in  weakness,  shall  be  raised  in 
power ;  sown  an  animal  body,  shall  be  raised  a  body 
with  Divine  life  from  the  Spirit.  And  then  "  the  light 
of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the 
light  of  the  sun  shall  be  seven-fold "  (Isa.  30 :  26). 
And  yet  "  the  moon  shall  be  confounded  and  the  sun 
ashamed,  when  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount 
Ziou,  and  before  his  ancients  gloriously  "  (Isa.  24 :  23). 
And  so  "  we  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth, 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness"  (2  Pet.  3:  13).  That 
will  be  redemption  completed. 


182  THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

Now  is  not  this  a  joy  of  anticipation  congenial  to  the 
human  soul  ?  next  to  that  of  friendship  with  God,  the 
greatest  joy  conceivable  ?  Says  Dr.  Chalmers,  in  his 
sermon  on  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  To 
think  of  our  future  locality  as  "  a  lofty  aerial  region, 
where  the  inmates  float  in  ether,  or  are  mysteriously 
suspended  upon  nothing,  where  every  vestige  of  mate- 
rialism, is  done  away,  certainly  tends  to  abate  the  inter- 
est with  which  we  might  otherwise  look  to  the  per- 
spective that  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  grave."  "  It 
altogether  holds  out,"  he  continues,  "a  warmer  and 
more  alluring  picture  of  the  elysium  that  awaits  us; 
when  told,  that  there  will  be  ground  to  walk  upon, 
beauty  to  delight  the  eye,  music  to  regale  the  ear,  smiles 
that  play  on  the  human  countenance,  accents  of  kind- 
ness that  fall  in  soft  and  soothing  melody  from  the 
human  voice."  It  only  needs  that  matter  shall  be 
clarified  of  the  evil  effects  of  man's  sin,  to  bring  it  into 
heavenly  harmony  with  heavenly  man,  and  to  make  the 
earth  a  heavenly  seat  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  for 
which  we  are  praying.  O  joy  that  warms  the  heart, 
that  contents  us  to  bear  the  whips  and  stings  of  suffer- 
ing, that  makes  heavenly-mindedness  attractive  ! 

The   joyous    mind    of    the  Spirit   is   the  spirit  of 
prophecy. 

Finally,  the  Holy  Spirit  in  prophecy  is  the  promoter 
of  Christian  foreign  missions. 

In  one  of  his  most  important  oracles  he  foretells  that 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  183 

"  this  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all 
the  world  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations,  and  then  shall 
the  end  come."  Not  when  the  Gospel  shall  have  been 
truly  received  by  all  nations,  but  when  it  shall  have 
been  preached  as  a  witness  to  them ;  not  when  the  world 
shall  have  been  converted,  but  when  it  shall  have  been 
evangelized.  The  nearer,  then,  we  are  to  that  great  ob- 
jective point,  the  evangelizing  of  all  nations,  the  nearer 
we  are  to  the  end  of  this  world-age ;  nearer  to  that  rev- 
elation of  glory,  of  which  the  scene  on  the  Mount  of 
Transfiguration  was  the  earnest  and  demonstration. 
Not  universal  success  in  converting  men,  but  universal 
activity  in  calling  them  to  conversion  is  the  crisis  of  the 
world's  history. 

Now  what  a  motive  is  this  for  the  urgency  of  aggres- 
sive Christian  work.  The  Church's  business  is  to  tes- 
tify the  Gospel  "  whether  men  will  hear,  or  whether  they 
will  forbear."  Her  success  is  to  be  measured,  not  by 
the  number  of  her  converts,  but  by  the  extent  and 
thoroughness  of  her  testimony,  and  by  her  taking  out  of 
the  nations  a  people  for  his  name  (a  very  little  flock  it 
may  be),  Acts  15  :  14.  And  grand  success  it  is,  even 
though  her  converts  be  not  more  than  as  one  grain  of 
wheat  in  a  bushel  of  chaff ;  for  merely  by  her  spread  of 
the  Gospel  message  she  is  hastening  on  the  day  of  the 
Lord. 

The  heathen  may  reject  the  missionary's  good  tidings 
in  as  large  numbers  as  do  the  evangelized  masses  of 
Christendom.  The  churches  at  home  may  grow  worldly, 


184  THE   SPIRIT  OF   PROPHECY. 

the  tares  everywhere  luxuriant,  the  goats  multiplying 
faster  than  the  sheep.  Churchmen  may  call  in  question 
the  claims  of  world -evangelization,  and,  by  statisti- 
cal figures,  which  are  said,  by  a  grim  sarcasm,  not  to  lie, 
prove  to  their  own  satisfaction  that  missions  are  a  fail- 
ure. In  heathendom,  as  in  Christendom,  pride  may  dei- 
fy the  human  intellect;  science,  so-called,  may  wag  its 
cerberus  heads  at  the  crucified  Jesus,  and  philosophy, 
perverted,  with  its  Briareus  arms,  essay  to  unseat  the 
Lord  God  Almighty.  Discouragement  may  cloud  the 
prospect  to  those  true-hearted  stewards  of  the  Gospel 
who,  unfortunately  for  themselves,  are  dwelling  in  the 
low  valley  of  unprophetic  Christian  thought.  But  to 
the  workers  on  the  mountain  top  of  prophecy,  how  far- 
reaching  the  view,  what  a  horizon  of  triumph ;  for 
when,  by  God's  blessing,  in  spite  of  indifference  or  ridi- 
cule, the  faithful  shall  have  testified  the  message 
amongst  all  peoples,  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  shall  take 
care  of  the  rest.  He  will  come,  he  will  come  !  His  ar- 
rows shall  be  sharp  in  the  heart  of  the  King's  enemies; 
going  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer  on  behalf  of 
truth  and  meekness  and  righteousness. 

And  how  much  the  sanctified  enthusiasm  of  this  pro- 
phetic prospect  has  had  to  do  with  the  progress  and 
achievement  of  foreign  missions  may  be  seen  in  such 
names  as  Marty n,  Wolf,  Heber,  Gutzlaff,  Bettleheim, 
Duff,  J.  Hudson  Taylor  and  his  300  missionaries  in 
China,  Guinness,  Ashley  Cooper,  Earl  of  Shaftsbury 
(clarum  and  venerabile  nomen),  and  others :  men, 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  185 

whether  in  foreign  lands,  or  workers  at  home  for  the 
cause,  hot  with  missionary  zeal,  and  students  of  proph- 
ecy, sympathizers  with  the  mind  of  the  Spirit. 

But  why  speak  of  lesser  names  ?  The  greatest  mis- 
sionary of  the  Christian  ages,  he  who  dwelt  with  rap- 
ture on  creation's  hope  of  the  manifestation  of  the  sons 
of  God  ;  who  did  not  believe  that  Christian  culture  and 
civilization  would  gradually  develop  into  the  millennium, 
but  emphasized  the  predicted  falling  away  in  the  pro- 
fessing church,  and  the  perilous  times  in  the  last  days  ; 
who  was  ever  looking  for  the  Epiphany  of  the  Lord's 
presence,  and  the  miraculous  introduction  of  his  king- 
dom ;  what  were  his  labors  as  a  foreign  missionary? 
From  the  falling  of  the  scales  off  his  eyes  at  Damascus, 
till  he  sat  behind  the  grated  windows  of  Nero's  prison ; 
whether  journeying  in  deserts,  traversing  seas,  beaten 
with  stones,  clanking  his  chains  ;  whether  on  the  beach 
at  Miletus,  or  scaling  Mount  Olympus,  or  on  Mars' 
Hill,  or  in  a  Philippian  prison  ;  who  can  compare  with 
him  as  to  work  done  and  difficulties  encountered  ?  At 
that  marvelous  recital  forced  from  him  by  his  detractors 
— "  In  labors  more  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure, 
in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft ;  of  the  Jews  five 
times  received  I  forty  stripes  save  one,  thrice  was  I 
beaten  with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned,  thrice  I  suffered 
shipwreck,  a  night  and  day  I  have  been  in  the  deep ;  in 
journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers, 
in  perils  by  mine  own  countrymen,  in  perils  by  the 
heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilder- 


186  THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY. 

ness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false  brethren ; 
in  weariness  and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in 
hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  naked- 
ness " — can  we  help  exclaiming  with  Erskine  in  the 
British  Parliament,  "  Great  God,  what  a  salary  for  a 
faithful  minister!  "  But  his  love  of  Christ  and  his  pro- 
phetic faith  bore  him  onward.  And  triumphantly  he 
carried  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  from  Antioch  to 
Illyricum,  from  the  Euxine  to  the  pillars  of  Hercules ; 
and  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  had  evangel- 
ized twenty  nations,  besides  the  islands  of  Cyprus  and 
Crete. 

The  missionary  mind  of  the  Spirit  is  the  spirit  of 
prophecy. 

Look  back  now  over  this  rapid  sketch.  The  spirit  of 
prophecy  is  a  composite  of  characteristics,  Divine  and 
human,  a  focus  of  excellencies  ;  for  like  a  sun-glass,  proph- 
ecy converges  to  a  point  the  Spirit's  rays  of  light  and 
heat,  and  sets  the  soul  aflame.  The  intelligible  mind  of 
the  Spirit,  the  instructive  mind  of  the  Spirit,  the  Christly 
mind  of  the  Spirit,  the  adorable  mind  of  the  Spirit,  the 
holy  mind  of  the  Spirit,  the  joyous  mind  of  the  Spirit, 
the  missionary  mind  of  the  Spirit,  these  are  the  spirit  of 
prophecy.  Take  away  what  of  the  Holy  Spirit  proph- 
ecy gives  us,  and,  comparatively,  how  little  we  should 
know  of  him.  Would  we  have  a  livelier  enjoyment  of 
his  fellowship?  O  Blessed  Spirit  of  God,  who  art  thy- 
self our  patient,  gentle,  untiring  Companion  and  Friend, 


1 '//' 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   PROPHECY.  187 

by  day  and  by  night,  without  whom  never  a  spiritual 
consolation  felt,  never  a  duty  well  done,  never  a  trial 
sweetly  borne,  never  a  triumph  in  death,  and  by  whom 
not  seldom  we  are  rapt  into  a  speechless  pleasure  of 
worship,  can  it  be,  by  this  love  of  thine,  that  we  have 
the  heart  to  slight  what  thou  hast  been  at  pains  to  teach 
us  ?  We  hear  thee  say,  "  He  that  hath  my  Word,  let 
him  speak  my  Word  faithfully.  What  is  the  chaff  to 
the  wheat  ?  "  With  bowed  heads  and  smitten  hearts, 
reverently,  lovingly  we  answer  thee,  Amen  and  Amen  ! 


OP 


THE  GREAT  BOOK  OP  SPIRITUAL  SONGS. 

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Used  by  the  Rev.  H.  M.  WHARTONin  his  Evangelistic  Meetings. 

A.  Boole  for  the  Church.,  Prayer  Meeting, 
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The  chorister  of  Immanuel    Tabernacle,  Rev.  A.    C.  Dixon,   pastor 
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The  music  is  bright  and  lively  and  the  sentiment  pure  and  lofty." — 
ADOLPH  C.  GKAY. 

The  chorister  of  the  Brantly  Church,  Rev.  If.  M.  Wharton,  pastor,  writes: 
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JTTST  PUBLISHED. 


THE  TRUE  AND  THE  FALSE. 

BY 

Rev.  A.  C.  DIXON, 

The  Pastor  of  the  Immanuel  Tabernacle,  Baltimore. 


COZETTEUSTTS: 

I.  JESUS  AS  A  WITNESS. 

II.  HISTOEY  AS  A  WITNESS. 

III.  EXPERIENCE  AS  A  WITNESS. 

IV.  THE  ENEMY  AS  A  WITNESS. 
V.  REASON  AS  A  WITNESS. 

VI.    CHRIST  THE  LIFE. 
VII.    CHRIST  THE  LIGHT. 
VIII.    CHRIST  THE  WAY. 
IX.    WHAT  SHALL  I  DO  WITH  JESUS? 
X.    THE  CHRIST  OF  THE  BIBLE  AND  THE  CHRIST  OF 

ROMANISM. 

XL    MARY  AND  "  MARY." 

XII.    THE  MIRACLES  OF  THE  BIBLE  AND  THE  MIRA- 
CLES OF  THE  PAPACY. 

XIII.  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  VERSUS  THE  MASS. 

XIV.  THE  PAPACY  DEFINED. 
XV.    A  FALLEN  CHURCH. 

XVI.  PETER  VERSUS  THE  POPE. 

XVII.  CIVIL  LIBERTY  AND  THE  PAPACY. 

XVIII.  CONFESSION  AND  THE  "  CONFESSIONAL." 

XIX.  THE  GOOD  IN  ROMANISM  AND  HOW  TO  GET  AT  IT. 


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